Speechless
by Setkia
Summary: Three years. The last time he had uttered a word had been three years ago. No one asked him why he stopped, not that he'd answer. It had just become a fact. Sanji did not speak.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note:** Okay so if you know me by now, I'm Setkia and this is my second long story for **One Piece**. This story will have shorter chapters (probably) than **Beautiful Disaste** r, this is like a teaser (?) I guess of my next story since so many asked for **Speechless**. For those who wanted other stories, I'll say this: I want to write each of the stories that are on the poll, it's just a matter of which will be written first. Like **Beautiful Disaster** , warnings will be at the beginning of each chapter to warn you if there's something unsettling in it. This story is being split up into parts and has no chapter names. It's mainly told by Sanji's point of view. Again, this is an AU because apparently, I'm very good at them. Also, I don't own **One Piece**. Please review, tell me if you like it! One more chapter left for **Beautiful Disaster** and then we're onto this one full time! I hope you're as excited as I am! I'm sorry, I just love putting these characters through hell, but this time they're both screwed up, no one really more screwed up than the other!_

* * *

 ** _Speechless_**  
 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

I

* * *

Taking out the trash had become his job.

It was never said, no one told him to bring the garbage to the back alleyway, he just did it. At closing time, like clockwork, he took the garbage bags and exited the back door to put them in the cans. No one was going to complain, it was one less chore for them.

"Oi, Sanji! Don't forget to close the lid!" yelled Patty.

Sanji rolled his eyes.

Taking off the top of the garbage can, the first thing that hit him was the smell. No matter how often he did it, he didn't seem able to prepare himself for the stench.

"Hey! Get back here, bastard!"

Sanji was used to the screaming; there were lots of bad people around the area. There was no reason for him to freak out, rather he just lit up his next cigarette, letting the smoke fill his lungs, not bating an eyelash in the direction of the sound.

"Roronoa!"

 _SLAM!_

Sanji's back hit the brick wall, his grip on the bag in his hand loosened, the cigarette hanging limp between his lips. The wind knocked out of him, he found himself staring into dark, steel grey eyes. A tall body seemed to be towering over him, warmth emanating from the shadow that loomed over him.

"Shh," hissed a deep voice. From the close proximity, the blond could feel the man's chest rumble against his own. There was the sound of feet shuffling and Sanji watched as the man stiffened. "Shit." All too quickly, he disappeared from sight.

"Roronoa, where the fuck are you? You can't hide from us!"

Two police officers rounded the corner. Roronoa … That had to be the man's name, right? So who was he, that the cops knew of him? What had he done?

"Hey you! Blondie!"

Sanji's head jerked up.

"You see a man around here? About your height, green hair, ear piercings?" the smaller of the two asked. He was holding a taser from the looks of it and wearing his badge proudly, pinned to the middle of his chest which he puffed out in an attempt to look more intimidating no doubt.

Sanji shook his head. He hadn't acknowledged much about the man who had been towering over him, just that he had grey eyes and when he had backed away quickly, Sanji had been able to see his back. It wasn't the defined muscles that were visible underneath his white shirt that had caught Sanji's eye though, it had been the criss-crosses along his back. His scars.

"He's not here," the taller police man said. He was thin and frail from the looks of it.

"But I saw him—"

"Let it go. Not everyone can catch the Demon of the Streets, otherwise he wouldn't be a demon," he said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," the other conceded. "But still, I don't want Smoker getting that promotion …"

The two left, grumbling to each other.

Sanji's eyes flickered towards the shadowy area of the alley, the blind spot. When "the Demon of the Streets" stepped out, Sanji realized they were right. He _did_ have green hair. Strange.

"They're gone?" asked the moss-head, looking both left and right. Sanji didn't know why, hadn't he heard the men's retreating footsteps? He gave Sanji a once-over when he realized there was no immediate danger. "Thanks, I guess. I owe you one." Roronoa rubbed his neck sheepishly. "If you hadn't been quiet, they would've found me."

Sanji blinked.

"I uh … shouldn't have dragged you into this …" Roronoa said, his eyes looking a tad apologetic.

 _This_ was a demon?

Roronoa tilted his head to the side and made a face. "You don't talk much, do you?"

 _Oh, you don't even know the half of it._ But of course, Sanji stayed silent and instead shrugged.

Roronoa nodded. "Strong and silent type, huh?" He clasped his hands together and nodded again. "I can see you're busy, I'll leave you to it then."

Sanji watched in silence as Roronoa started walking backwards, staring around the alleyway, roaming as though he didn't quite know where to look. When he bumped into the third trash can, he finally turned around and ran down the rest of the alley, taking a sharp turn to the left.

Weird man.

Sanji reentered the kitchen after disposing of the waste.

He had never seen that man before. There had been a black bandana attached to his left bicep. Roronoa they had called him. Demon of the Streets. What did you have to do in order to gain such a title?

He hadn't looked all that dangerous. Maybe at first, but when Sanji got a closer look, the height difference was only a centimetre and he was more awkward than intimidating.

"Oi, Sanji, you took out the trash?"

Sanji rolled his eyes.

Looking around the kitchen, he tapped a waiter who was about to go into the dining hall and took his notepad. He didn't do it very often, he wasn't often a "talker" so to speak, but right now his mind was reeling with questions. He grabbed the pen out of the confused waiter's hand. Obviously a new edition to the staff then. Sanji began to scribble quickly before showing it to the group before him.

 _Have you ever heard of a man named Roronoa?_

A needle could be heard hitting the floor. The usually loud kitchen became silent in a matter of nanoseconds.

"The Demon of the Streets?" asked Carne. "How do you know that name?" he whispered in a quiet voice, something that was unusual for a man as loud as Carne.

 _Met him._

Sanji's grip on the pen loosened when Carne grabbed him by his shoulders and shook him furiously. He felt like a bobblehead as he swayed back and forth, letting Carne's force rack through his body until the cook finally calmed down and looked Sanji in the eyes.

"You met him?" demanded the cook.

It was clear from his expression Sanji didn't understand why Carne seemed so anxious and on edge.

He tightened his grip on his pen and wrote in rather hurried, rushed writing;

 _Do you know him?_

"Who hasn't heard of him? Roronoa Zoro, the Demon of the Streets. They say he practices an ancient, abandoned form of kenjutsu. He has the Sandai Kitetsu, on top of it all. That blade's said to be cursed you know," Patty said. "Everyone's heard of him! How are you still alive?" The large cook was looking at Sanji with a mixture of confusion and wonder.

 _He was lost,_ Sanji wrote. Though the green-haired man had never verbalized it, his lack of awareness of his surroundings had been obvious and proof enough. Something told him that Roronoa was too prideful to ever allow himself to admit he was lost though.

While the entire kitchen went into a state of panic at the revelation that the "Cursed Demon Swordsman" was in the neighbourhood, Sanji couldn't help but reflect on his rather brief meeting with the moss-head.

He had scars. Sanji remembered them. They told a story, each and every one of them.

Sanji wasn't sure which he wanted to know more; the story of the scars, or the story of the "Demon of the Streets".


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note:** Because I got 4 reviews in less than twenty-four hours, I'm posting this at 6 in the morning. I don't own **One Piece**. Please review!_

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
** By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

II

* * *

Each time he went to take out the trash, he waited.

Sanji couldn't understand why, but he expected to see the green-haired man turn the corner again. He didn't though. Two weeks and no reappearance reinforced Sanji's theory that the man had been lost. No one got lost in the same place again, not unless you didn't know north from south.

Sanji would never admit he felt slightly disappointed.

Roronoa Zoro, huh?

Sanji had been in his presence for less than five minutes and yet, he was more curious about this man than Zeff's secret soufflé recipe and that was saying something.

Tall, tanned. An angular face and green hair. It was after the fact that these details became clear to him. Three golden hoops in his left ear, haunted grey eyes. A white shirt, black pants, a haramaki, he was pretty sure that's what it was called. Three katanas, one white, one black, one red. Those were the colour of the sheaths. Black boots, muscular torso. And those scars.

How did he get those scars?

Sanji closed the lid on the trash can and waited. Five minutes. He gave the Demon of the Streets five minutes of his time every day and he never showed.

 _Such is life,_ thought Sanji to himself, opening the door to go inside again when he heard it.

Footsteps.

Using logic, he knew he should get back into the restaurant. He had waited his five minutes, there was no reason to be outside anymore.

Sanji waited.

The footsteps were slow as they inched towards him. He could hear ragged breathing and coughing.

Sanji waited patiently for the mystery person to reach him.

They never did.

Instead, Sanji heard a stumble and then a fall.

He contemplating going to them.

What if they were yakuza? A police man? But what if they were hungry?

He thought about it. What would be the consequences of going to help an injured person? He could tell they were injured, the fact that they couldn't reach him was proof enough. But still … Sanji was said to be too kind hearted, always serving the hungry, but it was his and Zeff's policy. No one should ever go hungry, it was a terror that no soul deserved to face, regardless of what they may have done.

Sanji went off in the direction of the sound to see _him_.

Roronoa Zoro was back.

He looked nothing like he had before. He was on his knees, trying to use one of his katana to hoist himself up. He was wounded worse than what Sanji had first believed. There was blood … _so much blood._

His shirt was stained crimson. He spat on the ground, blood coming out. Gritting his teeth, his swords scrapped across the cement as he tried to stand, but his knees seemed to give out on him.

Sanji held out a hesitant hand. He wanted to say something, anything, but his voice was caught in his throat. Even if he could find words, he knew his voice would crack. Instead of speaking, he gave the swordsman a concerned look.

Roronoa Zoro stared at Sanji's outstretched hand. More accurately, he stared in Sanji's general direction, no sign of recognition filling his eyes, not that Sanji honestly expected him too, before his eyes settled on Sanji's hand. He squinted, as though unsure of what it was. It was then that Sanji realized that there was a trail of blood from Zoro's left eye, almost like he was crying tears of crimson.

The green-haired man's lip was bleeding, he had wounds that looked pretty serious and though Sanji was no doctor, it still worried him.

Sanji stretched his hand out further. He was silent, gnawing at his bottom lip, right where the swordsman was bleeding.

"Cops," Roronoa gasped. "They …" He coughed, blood landing on the ground once more.

The word "human" flashed before Sanji's eyes.

Give him whatever title they saw fit but in the end, Roronoa Zoro was still human.

Sanji could see the fire in his eyes, those haunted grey storms. He wasn't going to take his hand.

Sanji grabbed the wounded man by the elbow, using all his strength to pull him up. The man was heavy and Sanji had no doubt that it was all muscle. When the man was finally on his feet, he swayed for a moment before steadying himself.

Roronoa glared at him. He wasn't meeting Sanji's eyes though, it was more like he was glaring in Sanji's general direction. Probably didn't want to look at the one who had damaged his pride.

"You don't need to help me," Roronoa snapped. "I'm fine."

 _Says the man wiping blood off himself._ Sanji rolled his eyes and gestured for the man to follow him.

"I can't go in there," he said, nodding towards the Baratie.

The man's stomach growled.

Well, if that didn't seal the deal, nothing else would.

Sanji tried to guide Roronoa by his elbow, but the man fought back. "I'm not going, Curly Brow!"

Sanji's eyes widened in surprise at the new name. He glared, his blue eyes flashing. Fine, if he was going to be that way, then he was Marimo.

With his mind made up, Sanji tugged again, his jaw squared, the smoke pouring out of his cigarette. Taking a deep breath, he tried to clear his mind.

"Leave me alone!" Marimo snapped, gritting his teeth, trying to pull out of Sanji's grip. He was seriously injured, there was no way he would manage to get out of Sanji's grip, and even if he did, it wasn't as though he could go very far.

If he thought Sanji was just going to leave him be, he was downright stupid. Sanji never turned away someone in need. Especially if they were hungry.

"Listen to me dammit," Marimo hissed. "I've dealt with worse."

Sanji might've believed him. If he hadn't winced at the end.

"Curlicue, leave me the fuck alone!"

 _Idiot-swordsman_ , Sanji shot back in his mind.

Marimo was right though. He couldn't go into the Baratie. From the way the cooks had spoken about him, Roronoa Zoro was bad news. If the piercings and scowl weren't enough, he also carried three swords. How did he fight with them all?

A thousand reasons not to help this man raced through his head.

He was probably a fugitive, the cops wanted him in jail, the cooks spoke badly of him and they rarely spoke trash of anyone. Carne and Patty had been scared of him, just hearing his name. He was a skilled swordsman with the title of "demon", a title which was probably not just given out to the first person out on the streets. He had earned himself a reputation for being ruthless, hadn't he? But …

He was hungry, wasn't he?

Marimo was starting to get out of his grip. He couldn't waste time thinking, not while that _bakaro_ was limping— holy shit, he was _limping_ — away.

 _CRASH!_

The wounded man hit the ground a few seconds before Sanji's foot met with the cement again. In a simple kick, Sanji had just made more noise than he had ever made in three years.

He blinked, staring at the passed out man.

Quiet. It was quiet.

Sanji tilted his head. He found he didn't so much mind a silent Marimo.

But what was he supposed to do now?

He didn't know how long he could keep him knocked out, it really seemed like a once in a lifetime thing, with the man's strength depleted he hadn't been able to fight back but if he had, Sanji had no doubt he'd have been turned into a pretzel and though he was flexible, he doubted he was that flexible.

He sighed.

Even knocked out, the Marimo was causing him problems.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous!_

 _Random Person : Glad to know!_

 _Aj the human: Here's another one for you!_

 _bronze andromeda shun : I don't believe you've ever reviewed my work before, in which case, welcome to the dark side!_

 _tenshuni : I hope this satisfies you for now. Also, please don't chop off the heads of authors if you want updates from them._

 ** _Okay now my question for the chapter: first impressions? Sanji's point of view? What do you think of these new alternate universe characters? Why do you think Sanji doesn't speak?_**

 _(Yes, I told you the chapters would be shorter.)_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note** : Yup, another chapter in the same day! I spoil you rotten, don't I? But I swear, last update this week until say Saturday? I don't own **One Piece** and yes, this chapter is even more remarkably short. Don't ask me why, just expect short chapters._

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
** By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

III

* * *

Convincing the taxi driver Marimo was not dead but drunk was rather easy to Sanji's great joy. A simple drinking action and the man was convinced, no words needed. Of course, now he thought the Marimo was an alcoholic, but such is life. Of course, explaining the blood was a bit more complicated. Convincing the driver that the green-haired man was a rowdy drunk who liked to start bar fights, which were the cause of his blood stained clothes was harder. Sanji was pretty sure the cab driver still thought the crimson clothes were the result of a botched assassination attempt.

When Roronoa Zoro woke up, his head of spiky hair was in Sanji's lap, some blood leaking into his pants.

Almost immediately, he bolted up and checked his haramaki. How he was so active even with those wounds was beyond him. Thankfully, Sanji knew that in the small area of the cab there was no way he could possibly be hit by him. Instead of striking him though, Marimo was checking to make sure he still had all of his swords. His fingers lingered a tad longer on the white katana.

"Where are we going?"

And now the ungrateful bastard was asking questions in that obnoxiously loud voice of his again.

Once the cab driver realized that Sanji wasn't going to tell him, he leaned back and handed Roronoa a sheet of paper Sanji had given him.

Marimo squinted for a moment, tilting the paper slightly but relaxed visibly when he realized they weren't going to the hospital.

"Isn't this kidnap?"

Sanji had officially decided it. He preferred the Marimo quiet and asleep. He almost looked cute that way.

If he was going to survive the car ride, he was going to need a cigarette. Sanji drew his lighter out of his inner coat pocket.

"Hey! You can't smoke in here!" the driver yelled, spotting Sanji's nicotine from his rear-view mirror.

Sanji sighed, about to put it away when—

"It's a free country!" snapped Roronoa Zoro "Do you have no spine? You're going to let that shitty cab driver tell you when you're allowed your tobacco? You work at a fancy class restaurant, don't you? You make millions more than he does."

Sanji stared, speechless. He wouldn't have been able to speak even if he wanted to.

"Oi! You even listening to me? Light your joint, you want to smoke don't you? Or am I just defending human rights because I've suddenly become a pot-head?" He nodded at Sanji. "Well?"

Sanji had never lit a cigarette faster in his life.

About thirty seconds later, the Marimo was rolling down the window.

Sanji raised an eyebrow at him.

"If you want a cancer stick, that's your business but I'm not going to suffocate myself so you can give yourself double pneumonia."

Sanji shut his eyes. A ten minutes drive from the Baratie to his home. Three minutes and this would all be over.

Except Sanji had one problem.

Sure, he was fascinated by the moss-head swordsman who carried a "cursed blade" and he wanted to know the stories of his scars. Yes, the man was wounded and hungry, not to mention stubborn. Of course he decided no one should go hungry (his stomach lurched at an unpleasant memory), and so he had the Marimo in a cab with him, heading for Sanji's apartment. There was just one problem.

Sanji had no fucking idea what to do next.

It wasn't so much he couldn't think of a reasonable ending to this impromptu encounter. Rather, he hadn't even thought to come up with a plan and shit, the cab was pulling up to the front of the apartment.

He decided to do what he had done after knocking out the Marimo.

Wing it.

Sanji handed his money to the cab driver who clicked his tongue at the still burning cigarette in Sanji's mouth. He made a beckoning gesture to the Marimo whose brow furrowed.

Hesitantly the swordsman got out of the taxi.

Sanji checked his small mailbox in the nearly empty lobby and collected the bills. He went into the elevator to see the Marimo pause.

"In there?" he asked.

Sanji rolled his eyes.

The green-haired man took a small step forward. Almost too quickly he jumped into the elevator and pressed his back against the wall, breathing deeply.

Sanji pressed five.

The ride was silent, horrible elevator music playing. When the elevator doors opened again, Sanji went straight to his door. He unlocked it and waited impatiently for the tanned man to follow.

Sanji went about his usual routine as though there wasn't another man standing there awkwardly. He got a glass of water, flipped though his bills and took off his blazer in that order.

"What do you want?" asked the swordsman.

Sanji simply rolled up his sleeves and started to make stir-fry.

"Look, I'm not hungry or anything—"

His stomach rumbled. Very loudly.

"Fine, I'm a little hungry," he conceded. "That doesn't make it your job to feed me. I'm not a charity case."

Sanji poured the soya.

"Are you even listening to me? Don't just do whatever you want. Acknowledge me when I'm talking to you! Bastard, are you deaf?"

Sanji flinched at his raised tone.

The room fell into silence for a moment when realization dawned in Roronoa Zoro's eyes.

"You … you can't speak."

* * *

 _Author's Note #2 : The thank-yous!_

 _SmAc : Actually, it was hard to change their personalities to being bastards. I mean after I rewatched Sanji's parting the Baratie scene again I felt like crying (if you'd remember, maybe it was in my author note for chapter 5 or something) so I'm really happy they're not complete bastards anymore!_

 _Aj the human : I'm not sure if you wanted to admit that to me, or if that slipped out by accident but I appreciate your honesty and desire to share (I think? I'm still not sure if you intended to share that tidbit about yourself), and your grammar was fine. I think. I even screw up occasionally._

 _bronze andromeda shun : Yeah, I was explaining the new story to my friend who originally got me to watch **One Piece** and I was like, "so yeah, Sanji's there, wondering what if this guy's yakuza or something like that and then his stomach growls and Sanji's like, 'well, I have to help him now!'". So I think Sanji's selfless nature is more often portrayed, which I intend to keep in here as well, because it just makes me feel great about him and everything and I just find that his desire to feed others, based on his original backstory makes it so that he has to, and that's who he is as a person, he can't watch someone go hungry, not after experiencing it himself but I don't think it's displayed enough, but it's WHO HE IS so I had to put it in there. If you've ever read any of my other work for **One Piece** (well, it's really only one other story and two short stories) you'll know I like to try and balance out fluff and angst so that there's tons of angst, but an equal amount of fluff thrown in there too._

 _lilcutieprincess: I have brought you over to my new story! I hope it doesn't pale in comparison to **Beautiful Disaster** , especially since I was talking with my friend today and compared it to **Portal** and was like, "What if it's like **Portal 2**? Everyone wanted it to come out, everyone was psyched and then it just totally failed them! WHAT IF I'M A ONE HIT WONDER?!" Also, you have to tell me this woman theory being the reason he can't speak. I HAVE TO KNOW IT NOW!_

 _Okay now question time: I have mentioned before in **Beautiful Disaster** author's notes (if you bother to read them, they take up 1/3 of my word count,) I really like the pairing of Smoker and Ace. And of the idea of Ace totally dominating Smoker. So, are you guys up for another yaoi couple in here of Smoker and Ace? This would be the first time I put Smoker in here because I now feel comfortable with his character (loved when he told the government to eat shit, it made my day, I'm still smiling about it and it's been three weeks) and he's already been mentioned (see chapter 1). So would you look forward to Smoker and Ace? Please tell me!_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note:** I know, I'm an awful person. I think I just want the first five chapters out this week just to leave you guys hanging and then you need to wait till the next week for more, in which case my updates will become just one every week. I don't own **One Piece.** I know this is unbelievably unrealisitic in terms of the way you act when you've been kidnapped, but you know, Sanji and Zoro, they're special. WHY DO I KEEP KIDNAPPING THEM?!_

* * *

 _ **Speechless**_  
 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

IV

* * *

The only sound in the room was the sizzle of the pan. The look on Roronoa Zoro's face resembled that of a child approaching a large animal, cautious and tentative. "Can you understand me?"

Sanji raised a challenging eyebrow.

"You're not actually deaf, are you?"

Sanji shook his head.

Subtlety was lost on this man. Sanji never liked it when others found out. It was always complicated. They always wanted to know the reason why he didn't speak, was he born mute? Had something happened to him? All sorts of questions Sanji was never, and was pretty sure would never be, comfortable enough to answer, never mind feel the desire to admit aloud.

"Then … talk to me." He said it as though it were that simple. As if!

Sanji shook his head again. He reached for a pen and paper, writing.

 _Don't wanna._

The swordsman didn't laugh at the childish sentence. Instead, his brow furrowed, a crease forming. He didn't ask why. He just stared at the paper with intensity, rotating it.

Sanji wanted to ask him if he could read, but realized if he couldn't, it'd be pointless. Sanji carefully wrote his name in big, capital letters.

The Marimo read it over. "Anjis?"

Sanji took the swordsman hand in his. Tanned skin against pale, large calluses to small bumps. The only thing their hands had in common were the scars.

Slowly, Sanji began to trace on the palm of the tanned man's hand. He was careful to avoid any scars that looked fresh as his nails gently scrapped the surface of other man's skin. He knew how much fresh wounds hurt.

"Die … dice … diesil … dyslex— hey, wait a minute, I'm not dyslexic Anjis!"

Sanji rolled his eyes. Obviously this man didn't like admitting to things and if he kept screwing up his name like that, Sanji would start to get seriously pissed. He tightened his grip on Roronoa's hand and continued, tracing a new pattern. A swirly curve, a circle with a stick attached, a small bridge, a fishing line and a line with a dot on top.

"S … Sah … San … Sanji. Your name's Sanji?"

The blond nodded.

Roronoa Zoro laughed. "That's a weird-ass name!"

Sanji raised an eyebrow and began to trace again, this time his fingers not as gentle as before, nearly digging into the man's flesh as he punctuated his point.

"Zoom? Agh, that hurts! Zoo? Zorro— hey, it's only one r!" He frowned when he realized Sanji's point. "My name's not _that_ weird."

Sanji raised an eyebrow.

"You're judging me. You may not be saying it aloud, but your mind is full of judgemental thoughts," the swordsman accused.

Sanji shrugged.

"You know for someone who doesn't speak, you say a lot." Those grey eyes of his looked contemplative and he nodded, as though to confirm his point.

Sanji blinked.

No one had ever told him that before.

He had been expecting different things. Questions, probing, mocking, an interrogation perhaps. He expected Marimo to try and force him to talk. Instead, he did nothing of the sort. Rather, he stayed silent.

Sanji took this to mean he could return to cooking.

Cooking while someone was watching, he wasn't used to it. Cooking at the Baratie, everyone was cooking as well, meaning no one was concentrating on him. He could feel Marimo's eyes on him as he moved. It was almost reassuring to know there was someone else there.

That he wasn't alone.

"Why are you doing this?" asked the swordsman when the plate of food was laid out before him. He poked it with a fork. "It isn't poisonous, is it?"

Sanji's raised eyebrow said everything.

The Demon of the Streets took a tentative bite of the food in front of him.

The green haired, muscled man pushed his chair out slightly, tilted his head back, closed his eyes and let out the most erotic moan Sanji had ever heard. It almost made him blush.

"Holy shit," said Marimo through parted lips. "I think I just died." He pulled his chair back in and stared at the food in wonder. "I just saw white. I think I just had ecstasy."

Sanji turned away. He now knew at least one thing: Roronoa Zoro liked his food.

"Where'd you learn to make this?" He looked so giddy, so ecstatic, like a child on Christmas. The word "human" that had been in his mind was replaced by "child", then "innocent" and finally "burdened".

Sanji didn't know why he was running from the police, he didn't know what had earned him the title "demon". He wasn't aware of the extent of his swordsmanship ability, didn't know why he was lost. He didn't know how he got his scars or the wounds. He was ignorant to this man's past troubles, but he did know one thing.

He was tired.

Roronoa Zoro was tired. Tired of running, hiding, of getting lost. He was tired of the secrets, of the deception. He was tired of doing things for others, of being guarded.

Because Roronoa Zoro had not smiled in a very, very long time.

And Sanji understood.

This prideful "demon" swordsman was slowly but surely heading down the same road Sanji was already treading on.

To his surprise, he didn't want it.

A man he barely knew and yet the idea of those dull grey eyes losing their shine altogether terrified him.

Sanji hadn't been able to save himself. He was a lot like the Marimo; stubborn, prideful, guarded and just a tad insecure. A little awkward in different areas, but unwilling to admit it.

Maybe he couldn't save himself. Maybe he was too late, in too deep before he realized the cause of his depression. But Roronoa Zoro … he was a slightly dulled diamond, losing its shine. There was still hope for him.

Now Sanji knew the signs. Now Sanji could save him.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous!_

 _lilcutieprincess : I hope that these aren't too short, I think their length will fluctuate depending on what I want to happen in the chapter. That's a very interesting theory, I've been watching **One Piece** (obviously because as you know, I'm not the most experienced in this fandom) and I've found that really, Sanji seems smooth with the ladies when he wants to be. I'd totally go for him (that and he's a literal ass-kicking badass cook)._

 _Aj the human : I don't mind knowing, it just came as a surprise to me. _

_SmAc : I read this story where Sanji was a mermaid (I can't remember which one it was that made him into a **The Little Mermaid** ) and it first introduced that idea to me. Also, it gave me the idea of Sanji not speaking. I've found I've come to like stories where one or both members of your pairing are handicapped. No, I don't promote injuries or anything like that, I just find it gives the story a different dynamic that's interesting to watch._

 _siberianRS : My God, I'm very glad you enjoyed it._

 _tenshuni : Um, surprise? Are you surprised? Please be surprised. _

_Random Person : Hello Random Person, thank you for encouraging the flames and the smoke. Mixing fire with fire ... or fire with smoke ... oh God, it's gonna be hot. Stop me, I'm horrible at puns._

 _bronze andromeda shun : Well, hopefully you'll stick around and I'll try to make it worth your while? You never know, I might suddenly decide I like Marco and Ace together (I haven't met this Marco person yet, yes, I'm far behind in the series. I haven't even hit the 200s) God I have so many pairings for **One Piece**. Zoro, Sanji and Luffy all together, Zoro, Sanji and Ace all together, Ace and Smoker, Ace and Vivi, Nami and Zoro, Nami and Sanji, Nami and Luffy, Zoro and Mihawk (I think secretly, Zoro's a masochist which is why he likes to encourage pain and suffering upon himself), Nami and Vivi (yes, I support lesbian couples as well!), Chaka and Pell, Smoker being gangbanged by everyone in the Marines ... (I like forcing Smoker onto his knees), Smoker and Tashigi, Robin and Zoro, Robin and Luffy, Robin and Nami ... Yup, I think I just shared enough pairings to traumatize you. My job is done._

 _We're on day 3 of this fanfiction and it has 23 follows. I am so proud of myself! Wow I sound conceited. Well, moving on, my question for this chapter: do you think Zoro having dyslexia makes sense? Yes, I've experimented a lot with these characters ..._


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note:** Okay, last update this week. Next update will be next week, in November. Say, the 7th? Maybe? I don't know. The last chapter of **Beautiful Disaster** is written and I hope you guys like the ending. That'll be posted on Halloween! I'm kind of in shock at how many follows this story already has! Anyway, I've decided to make a rule: five reviews at least, or no update. Yes, I'm cruel. No, I don't own **One Piece.** Also, there's a pattern in this story, like there was in the other story. Again, first person-third-person way of writing (I think it's called third person limited), but instead of alternating every chapter, it's every 5th chapter is Zoro's, while every other chapter is Sanji's, so the next chapter by Zoro will be chapter 10 and then 15 and so forth. Dear God, did I just write so forth? Moving on, please enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
** By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

V

* * *

To be honest, Roronoa Zoro didn't know exactly who the blond was. With the wounds making him unsteady and of course his damn eye …

Zoro knew a few things about his "captor".

He was male. Though his frame and build made Zoro think he might have been female, the way he walked and the texture of his hands pointed towards masculinity.

He smoked. Some expensive brand probably, since it didn't smell like those cheap packs at the convenience store.

He had screwed up eyebrows. At least, Zoro assumed he did since the one eyebrow he _did_ see was weird and swirly. He covered the other with a curtain of golden hair.

He was a fucking fantastic cook, point blank.

He lived in a small apartment, despite having money tons plunge on fancy cigarettes and exotic spices.

He had the hardest handwriting in the world to read, all swirly like his eyebrow.

He kicked fucking hard and Zoro's head was still spinning.

His name was Sanji, which was a weird ass name, definitely weirder than Zoro.

He didn't speak.

Zoro had never been one to like silence. Meditation was good, but then there were things like talking. He wanted to know more about Sanji. Adjusting to vaguely seeing through one eye was hard, especially since it threw him entirely off balance. That damn bastard,

He knew general layout of course. The couch was a few meters from the TV, the kitchen was about fifteen steps from the couch, the table was in the middle of the not-so-fancy dinning room. Harder details though, like where the light switch was, if there was an island he might collide with, where the corner of the coffee table was, how many pillows were on the couch, it would take time to adjust.

Wait.

 _Am I really thinking of staying long term?_

Zoro was paranoid. That was nothing new when you were on the run, especially when you were running from— _no_ , _don't think about that._

He squinted, curious about the cook That back alley, he had been in before, hadn't he? Was it a restaurant? He seemed to know his way around the kitchen— _of course he knows his way around his own kitchen, you're the only one with that problem, numbskull!_

He knew the man wore black. He saw a lot of black with flashes of yellow? No, gold. But now he saw blue with lines. Pinstripe, that was the term.

"How old are you?"

Sanji raised two fingers and a whole hand.

"Twenty-five?"

Sanji nodded.

Damn he was older than Zoro. Not by much, but still. Zoro sized him up. He was taller at least, just a little.

"Do you usually take in strays?" he asked, picking up his plate. He put his fork and knife on the plate. Thank God he didn't have to make a bigger fool of himself.

Wait, where was the sink?

Zoro looked around for a metallic colour before he remembered. People also had fridges like that. Did he have to look for a hole in the counter?

Sanji took his plate before Zoro could start to freak out. In less than an hour, this man had seen more sides of Zoro than he was comfortable with.

"You didn't answer my question," Zoro said, watching Sanji's back as he started cleaning the dishes. Didn't most people use the dish washer? "Do you always take in strays, Curly Brow?"

Sanji's back tensed.

Zoro smirked.

Sanji turned around and raised an eyebrow at him. _What do you think?_ was implied.

"So why me?"

Sanji took Zoro's hand in his again, this time soapy. He noticed three scars on his left thumb. "Pie …" Zoro waited for the word, sound it out. "Pit ... Pity— I am not pitiful!"

Sanji's eyes were laughing.

Blond. The cook was blond. That wasn't common in Japan. Neither was green hair, but it was all over those crack TV shows— anime, right?

"I'm not," he reiterated his point.

Sanji totally ignored him.

"What do you do that you can afford such expensive cigarettes?" asked Zoro. He had an idea, but he wasn't a hundred percent sure. "Cook?" If he was, he didn't wear those white outfits, Zoro could tell from the black mass before him.

Sanji shook his head and took Zoro's hand in his. It was different, so very rare for Zoro to feel another's touch, especially since he had stated running. It brought him to attention and made him jump just a little at the difference in texture between the two of them. "Che ... Chess? No, chef?" Sanji nodded. "What's the difference?" Sanji's grip on his hand tightened and suddenly, a large strew of letters were being harshly forced into his palm. "E... Evening? Ever ... Every ... Everythin? Oh, _everything_!" Zoro frowned. "That doesn't really answer my question though." Sanji shook his head, as though to tell Zoro he was hopeless. Well, at least he knew what the blond did.

"So what do you plan on doing next?"

Zoro wasn't much of a talker but Sanji didn't leave him much choice. He knew unless he opened the window of conversation, no one else would. Having Sanji write on the palm of his hand was a slow process. If only Zoro could read properly— no, he had never blamed himself before and he wouldn't start now. Going a single letter at a time helped him separate the jumble of letters.

Sanji looked a him, his brow quirking upwards, his lips slightly parted. It was clear he was trying to say "next?"

"You're telling me you had no plan? At all?"

Sanji turned away from him.

Another thought occurred to him. "How do you know my name?"

Sanji took his hand again, his delicate looking fingers cold to the couch. "He … har … heard. You heard it?"

Sanji nodded.

What was he thinking? Of course the man had heard it. It was in the papers, the TV, it was everywhere.

Roronoa Zoro, the Demon of the Streets, broke out of jail where he was to pay a life-time sentence. Why?

Because Roronoa Zoro was a serial killer.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous!_

 _bronze andromeda shun: Your friend's OTP is Zoro and Sanji? Or Smoker and Ace? Or who?! I don't know! You know you're still ahead of me, I'm at episode 139, I think. I'm not even sure. What is it with people sharing things with me I don't know if they want me to know? I don't mind that you told me, but don't you think it's something just a tad personal to mention in passing like that?_

 _Random Person: I just thought it was a good line, that's great that you like it._

 _SmAc : Balance, it's all about balance._

 _lilcutieprincess : I saw a video where Sanji nearly died from a nose bleed from seeing the mermaid princess. I do enjoy watching those moments, I don't know why, I just find them and I love them and then I remember that time when Sanji was sleeping and tried to kiss Zoro. Someone, I don't remember which story it was in, said that Sanji overcompensated and maybe had a deep admiration for women rather than actually liked them since, if he respects them so much, he wouldn't want to do something as "vulgar" as have sex with them._

 _tenshuni : Your review is enough! God I sound cheesy ..._

 _Okay now for my question: **this is Zoro's point of view, do you like it?** I enjoyed writing this chapter immensely because I do like to show hints of others personality through another person's eyes to see how they interpret it, but I'm not sure why, but Zoro's inner mind has always been full of less problems than Sanji's in my opinion, since Zoro's one of those people who doesn't really worry about anything and yet Sanji's stressed because (in the anime/manga) people try to steal food, he needs to make sure he doesn't injure his hands, he's trying to flirt with girls who keep rejecting him, he needs to save his idiot captain (I'm remembering Zoro swimming after Luffy sunk in the ocean and going in the wrong way. I thought that was beyond hilarious)._


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note:** Okay the amount of follows, favourites and reviews I have for this story already is totally blowing my mind. This chapter was a bit weird because I wasn't a hundred-percent sure how it was going to go. It's kind of like **Beautiful Disaster** , in the sense that in chapter 7, Sanji had a nightmare and this time, it's chapter 6. I don't own **One Piece**. I did some work on this, trying to figure out where everything should be, how his dream should go and yeah. I wonder what you guys think now. Don't ask me why, but you somehow persuaded me to update sooner ... Great, now I don't have any pre-written chapters, just chapters prepared ... Dammit. Okay next update really will be on November 7th._

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
**_ _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

VI

* * *

It had been decided that Marimo was staying the night.

More accurately, Sanji had decided the guest bedroom had Roronoa Zoro's name written on it, while the moss head refused the hospitality point-blank.

"I can't stay here," said the idiot of a swordsman.

There was that word again. Can't. He can't go into the Baratie, he can't stay the night. Sanji was starting to believe the man couldn't tell the difference between can't and won't.

With a forceful push, Marimo stumbled into the guest bedroom.

The colour scheme was old, the blue faded, reminding Sanji of a washed up shoreline, the white reminding him of stained baseball pants in need of a good wash. The room hadn't been used in years and seeing it now made Sanji feel a tad sick.

He watched as Marimo let his hand trail along the side of the wall. He stopped at the bed and stared, a conflicting emotion in his eyes. He let himself sit slowly, his hands meeting the bed before the rest of him and he let out a sigh of relief for an unknown reason.

Roronoa Zoro laid back, spreading his arms and legs, looking like a fallen angel on worn, baby blue sheets. A green haired angel, but an angel nonetheless.

Sanji wondered what he'd say about the ceiling.

The swordsman squinted. "What's that?" he asked. He tilted his head slightly. "Are those … oi, Dartbrow, why the fuck are there dots on your ceiling?"

Idiot didn't get it, did he?

Marimo's arm raised slowly, tracing a pattern in mid-air. "That's .. Ursa minor," he said softly.

Actually, it was Ursa major, but Sanji wasn't going to correct him.

"You like astronomy, Shit Cook?"

Sanji knew he wasn't a bad cook and Marimo knew it too. Marimo, he mouthed in retort. It seemed he didn't have half as many insults for the swordsman, not that the Demon of the Streets knew them anyway.

"You know, you really didn't think this out, did you?"

Sanji gritted his teeth. As though he didn't know that!

All he knew was that even if he had to do it again, he would. Letting someone starve was not an option. It had never been.

Of course, perhaps he could've handled the situation better, but what was done was done and there was no changing that. Just because someone was hungry didn't mean he had to drag them off the streets and give them shelter and more or less force-feed them. Truth be told, he wasn't entirely sure if Matimo was even remotely happy about Sanji's decision to abduct him.

Well, Sanji wouldn't be the happiest if he were to be abducted so he supposed the fact that the swordsman wasn't jumping for joy was rather expected of him.

"You shouldn't be doing this," said Marimo suddenly. He folded his hands across his stomach and stared at the ceiling. "I'm a wanted man, you could be arrested for this," he pointed out.

Sanji shook his head and said nothing in response, instead slamming the guest bedroom door behind him.

* * *

 _It was dark. He couldn't see anything. He tried to feel around for something, anything solid, confirmation he wasn't in an endless, dark abyss. His fingers wrapped around something, it was cold and something slick was intertwining between his fingers._

 _Suddenly a light turned on and when Sanji looked down he could see it. Blood. His hands were coated in blood, staining his pale fingers. He blinked, trying to understand what was happening but noting made sense. There was a gun in one of his hands, that cold metallic object was a gun, a revolver._

 _"You killed them," a voice said._

 _Around him, Sanji was surrounded by dead bodies. Amongst them was his mother, his father and there was Zeff, lying there with only a single leg, giving him the evil eye._

 _"One word and the old man gets it," boomed the voice._

 _Sanji couldn't wrap his mind around it. His hands were bloody, his vision was blurring but yes, that was his mother and his father and Zeff, just lying there, looking like he utterly hated Sanji for existing._

 _Sanji wanted to plead, to tell the mysterious voice to stop torturing him, to kill him instead, but his voice wouldn't work. He couldn't formulate a sentence, never mind make a sound to cry. He could feel the tears running down his cheeks, could see they were blurring his vision and he wanted to scream, to wail, but he opened his mouth and no words came out._

 _"Remember boy, one word and I'll blow his fucking head off," the ominous voice sneered._

 _Sanji couldn't speak. He was frozen, his voice wouldn't work. "Please" was all he managed to mouth before the sound of a gunshot was fired._

He felt so cold and empty. Pulling his knees into himself, Sanji closed his eyes and let a silent tear roll down the side of his face. It was times like these where he wished he could scream. Even if he wasn't speaking any language, even if no one understood him, he would love to scream and yell and whine and cry and wail and blubber and break down, if only it meant all of this would go away. He wanted to scream until his voice became hoarse, until he couldn't speak out of free will, rather than lack of guts.

His fingers played with the sheets, twirling them. Taking deep breaths that sounded silent to his own ears, he tried to calm his heartbeat. He lit a cigarette, illuminating the room.

 _Scream_ , he commanded himself.

He opened his lips, swallowed harshly and—

Nothing.

He didn't know what he was expecting.

Besides, wasn't it better that he couldn't speak? This way he wouldn't have to deal with it. If he could keep the entire world silent then nothing bad would happen, no one would have to die, he wouldn't be able to kill someone ever again, he could just live his life, silent and mute and it would be okay because everyone else would be mute too. It'd be a wonderful world.

What a naive thought.

 _BAM!_

The door to his room was forced open by a panicked green-haired swordsman. He was blinking and trying to adjust to the new lighting and it was then that Sanji realized that rather than an injury that was below his eye, Roronoa had an eye injury. His left eye, there was something wrong with it. Could he see through that eye?

"What ... What happened?"

Sanji wanted to tell him to be quiet. If he spoke too much, someone might die. He didn't always have these thoughts, but it was always after that dream that they came back to him, memories he so desperately wanted to push back.

"Are you okay?"

Sanji shook his head. _No, stop. Don't talk. If you talk, if you speak then bad things happen._

"What's wrong? What's going on?"

Sanji shook his head again, closed his eyes tightly, hugged his knees, prayed to God that Marimo would leave him alone. He didn't want to hear him talk, he didn't want something bad to happen. Even with tears steaming down his face, Sanji was still silent. The sheets seemed to rustle silently, his hair made no noise as it swayed back and forth with his head.

 _Don't open your eyes, if you do there'll be blood. If you do then they'll be dead. Don't open your mouth, they'll die._

"Sanji?"

Sanji shook his head and his knees shook. He lit another cigarette, trying his best not to overreact. The Demon of the Streets was probably laughing at him, wondering why he was acting so crazy, probably thought he was insane, wondered why a crack had to pick him up.

 _I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, don't kill them, please, don't kill them._

His voice wouldn't work.

Roronoa's brow creased in confusion. "Are you okay?" he asked again.

Sanji shook his head. He didn't even hear that much anymore, no, he was more focused on the sound of the gunshot, it was still ringing in his ears.

"You need to talk to me if you want my help—humph?!"

In a matter of seconds, Sanji jumped up from his bed and slammed his hand over the swordsman's mouth, trying to keep him quiet. Please don't talk, his eyes begged. He was sure he definition of desperation, but he couldn't have the man talking. Not when lives were at stake.

Clearly the green-haired man was confused. He raised an eyebrow at Sanji but he stayed quiet like the blond wanted. He slowly slipped to the floor, bringing Sanji with him, still covering his mouth. They sat like that for a while until Sanji slowly took his hand away.

Roronoa Zoro stayed silent.

It was clear he still didn't understand and he wanted Sanji to explain, but Sanji didn't trust himself to. After all, if he spoke there'd be trouble.

It was only during the night that these things haunted him, came out from the creepy shadows and though he had learnt to deal with entering the restaurant again, in the dark all the skeletons of his past came back to remind him of what he had done.

Perhaps this was something to be embarrassed about, but after the incident Sanji had learnt that embarrassment was pointless. So were words.

Sanji fell asleep with his back leaning against his bed, Roronoa Zoro next to him, his dreams fitful and sweat-inducing and yet there was something warm that seemed stop the booming voice reminding him of his crimes from drilling into his head quite as hard.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous!_

 _NaruHinaLuvr : Well tada, Sanji and Zoro's first night together! Not in the dirty sense, but still._

 _bronze andromeda shun : No, it is a compliment, it's just that it was unexpected. I remember admitting that I hadn't even met Ace yet during the writing of **Beautiful Disaster** , until I was about at chapter 34, I actually met him in the anime and someone told me I got him pretty right on, despite the fact that I barely even knew who the heck he was._

 _lilcutieprincess : Tada, I've updated. Why do I keep writing tada?_

 _Random Person: I felt like dropping a bomb, so I'm glad it worked. I mainly wanted that chapter up so soon because of two reasons: to get the audience to know that every 5 chapters are Zoro's to tell and as for that other reason, their reaction to that last line._

 _CaptainNapkin : Interesting. I haven't figured out anything in terms of MO, I just know that I watched **Dexter** and when someone says "serial killer" besides imagining Cornflakes with a knife through it, I think of that wrapping thing he uses. Can't remember what it's called. Saw **We're The Millers** and screamed for joy from the **Dexter** reference._

 _siberianRS : It's all about the meaningfulness of things._

 _sanzaya : I just remember reading a few stories in which Sanji stresses that he's a chef because a cook puts ingredients in a bowl, and chefs make masterpieces. He is humble, I know that and a lot of people like to stress that fact (I'm one of those people) but I feel like chef, it could be a reason he gets irritated at Zoro, cause Zoro just calls him cook, or a variation of cook instead of chef and they call him the sou-chef in the anime English dub (which I totally decided to stop watching, and went for the subs) and I think in the subs it says "assistant chef"._

 _Guest : Okay here's the thing, I think of Trafalgar and I think of Trafalgar square. There are just some names that make me wonder._

 _tenshuni (x2) : Interesting, my parents don't seem all that happy about my desire to write ... Then again, they don't read anything I write, original stories included._

 _crystalbluefox: You have no idea how happy I am that you've decided to look at this story too! Oh my God, I feel like I'm communicating with a celebrity! It really means a lot to me!_

 _ThatOneUndertakerFan : I've always been told that I have a talent for keeping characters in character._

 _Okay now before I ask you a question, I'm going to answer something tenshuni said and I'll tell it to you all because I don't know, if you want to reach me? I created a special e-mail for this Fanfiction account, and if you don't have PM open, or you don't want to PM me, but still want to talk to me, without the internet censoring you or cutting you off because you have long rants (you'll learn quickly enough my e-mails are as long as my chapters), you can reach me at this e-mail: **setkia dot writer at gmail dot com**. Just replace things with the relevant signs. Sorry, I don't have a place you can donate to me, but having your support means a lot to me. I can only really talk to you guys through updates, so if you want to talk to me before I update, e-mail me. I'm a compulsive e-mail checker, I swear, I check every five minutes. It's kinda weird, I'm not even that popular to have much e-mails except alerts because you guys have decided to follow or favorite my story! I'm so happy about that!_

 ** _Okay now for my question: what do you think this dream means? What do you think happened to Sanji, given the dream?_**

 _And just in case you lost my e-mail amongst the suddenly long trail of words I wrote above, I'll reiterate it. Also, you don't have to worry about me stalking your personal e-mail or anything, I don't have any accounts anywhere except fictionpress ones and fanfiction. Yup. No Facebook, no Instagram, no SnapChat, no other weird site used to have a social life._

 _So my e-mail: **setkia dot writer at gmail dot com.**_

 _I kinda feel like the writing equivalent of a YouTuber, but I don't get paid ... Or anything at all ...If I ever reach a million followers and/or favorites, I will do something special. But getting a million's kind of hard ... But if I ever reach there, I will do something great! I promise! (you'll have to remind me I said this should it ever happen cause I feel like it won't happen for a good thirty years ...)_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note** : Don't even begin to ask me why, but I've decided to spoil you guys! Interesting fact: I have no school on Friday, or Monday, so you could potentially be getting more updates! Yay! However, because of a huge event that I've paid 40 bucks to go to, I will not be able to update at all during the days of the 12th till the 15th because I will be away, doing amazing things and consequently skipping two days of school! (but not quite long enough to totally miss a math test ... Fun.) Moving on! I don't know why I'm writing this like I'm in a YouTube video- oh yes, because I've been binging (Oh, I thought I had created that verb ... I know binge is a word, but I just mean, they don't call it "binging on food", they call it "binge eating" so I was hoping it wasn't a verb ... I'm too awkward for my own good ...) I do not own **One Piece** and what happened to reviews?! I had tons of reviews for the last chapter (12! 12 reviews for chapter 5!) and then this one just 5? Come on you guys, you're just hitting the minimum! Oh yeah, does anyone know how to write an interabang? I swear it's a thing, it's apparently that name for that punctuation mark that looks like a question mark mixed with an exclamation mark._

* * *

 _ **Speechless**_  
 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

VII

* * *

The floor of his apartment was cold.

Sanji's back hurt as he slowly sat up. It took him a while to remember the day before, picking up the Marimo, bringing him back to his home, feeding him and giving him the guest bedroom. A short conversation about the stars on the ceiling and then they had parted ways and he had gone to his room. But wait, no.

No, no, no, that hadn't happened. Roronoa, he had — fuck.

"SHIT!"

Sanji bolted up and ran towards the sound of the noise. Following the sound he entered his own kitchen. Except, it didn't look like his kitchen.

All the cupboards were open, there was flour on the floor, a few dropped and fracked eggs, spilt milk, a bubbling lump of what Sanji could only assume was pancake batter and a Marimo holding a frying pan like it was a sword.

What. The. Fuck?

"It's not as bad as it looks," said Roronoa quickly. "The pan just slipped and then and then ... Gravity's a bitch!"

Sanji couldn't get over how much food had just been wasted. Flour, batter, sugar, eggs, all of it was on the floor. The kitchen was a mess but the waste, unsalvageable food was absolutely impossible to ignore. It stared at him, taunting him. He glared at the damn bastard who thought he could go through his pantry and waste so much food (so much waste) and get away with it.

Sanji bit his lip. He needed a cigarette. He could feel his eye twitching. He couldn't fight the swordsman for what he had done, at least not with his fists. What was his other option? Of course!

 _BANG!_

Roronoa Zoro hit the floor harshly with enough force and sound to awaken the entire neighbourhood.

It was probably why at that moment the door to sanji'so apartment was being banged on.

"Oi, Sanji, are you okay in there?"

That was Ace.

"Knock three times if you can hear me!"

Sanji was about to knock in response, but the damn bastard grabbed his ankle and pulled him to the floor.

Sanji hit the ground with a softer— but no less harsh— bang. Instantly the world seemed to spin around him. He could see the memories flashing before his eyes and he panicked the moment he felt Roronoa tighten his grip on his ankle. He kicked furiously and twisted his body, trying to free himself from their grip, from that monster. He shut his eyes tightly and bit his lip, keeping in his screams of panic, no matter how much he wanted to cry.

Once he managed to contortion himself so that he was able to see the bastard, he bent more and sunk his teeth deeply into his wrist.

His attacker let out a yelp loudly and instantly let go.

Slowly his surroundings came back to him. He hated when this happened and sadly, it happened a lot. Always in the mornings, always when he was weary from sleep, always when it was the early hours in the morning and light couldn't shine in properly. He hated the dark. This was the first time there as someone there though.

Sanji took a moment to breathe, trying to collect himself. He picked himself up off the floor and came to the door. He had to make sure he didn't look so shaken, if he did then his friends would ask. He didn't want to answer their questions, they didn't know how his mind worked, they didn't know and couldn't understand the full extent of what had happened to him.

"Sanji? Hey, Sanji! Come on, you're starting to freak us out, open the door! What was that bang? Is there someone over there? Is it a burglar?"

Sanji realized in that moment that Roronoa Zoro was a wanted criminal for some reason. A reason that meant that if he was caught, he'd be immediately sent to jail. And Sanji hadn't even gotten a chance to try and help him. Instead, the Marimo had only been helping him.

Sanji made a shooing gesture at Marimo, indicating he wanted him to leave. The stupid _ahou_ didn't get it. If the others found out he was there, he'd be brought to jail. Though every part of Sanji's body was against criminals in every way, Roronoa was different. He was a project, he was like Sanji. Sanji would not screw up twice, not when he knew how to stop it.

Of course Marimo just raised a confused eyebrow at him.

"Sanji, you're seriously making us worry, are you in there?"

Sanji softly tapped on the door, three times, that's what Ace had said, right?

And then the smoke alarm went off.

"We're busting down this door!"

"Stand back!"

 _CRASH!_

Ace came in, wielding a fire extinguisher. He raced past Sanji into the kitchen where the frying pan that Roronoa had been holding was on fire. He quickly put it out while Nami, Luffy and Usopp busied themselves with Sanji.

"Oh my God, what happened?" asked Nami with a concerned frown.

"How did you burn something?" asked Luffy, obviously confused on how a cook, someone who used the stove on a daily basis, managed to set fire to his pan.

"You're not burnt anywhere, are you?" asked Usopp, his brow furrowing in worry.

Sanji shook his head and gave them a small smile, trying to reassure them without words. This was always a hard thing for him to do.

There was the sound of scrambling, a loud "who the fuck are you?" and then Ace was dragging Roronoa Zoro by the front of his shirt, walking in front of him so the swordsman's body followed after his head in a weird way as he was trying to resist him.

"Is he yours?" Ace asked, raising an eyebrow at the green-haired man.

"Cool, did you buy a clone online? You were lonely you could've just spoken to us," said Luffy. "We'd be great roommates!"

"A clone Luffy?" Nami rolled her eyes. "He doesn't look a thing like Sanji!"

"Never know, could be a fraternal clone," Luffy said with a shrug. He approached Roronoa with a grin and poked him in the shoulder. Marimo growled and shoved his hand off forcefully.

"Don't touch me," he snapped harshly.

"This clone's moody, you should get a nicer one," Luffy declared.

Sanji rolled his eyes.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Ace asked, looking at Roronoa carefully. His dark eyes went up to the Marimo's hair. "Is that natural?" He reached out, as though to check it for himself, but Roronoa slapped his hand away. "Okay dude, personal space issues, I get it."

Sanji held up one finger and ran into the kitchen, grabbing a paper and pen. He quickly wrote, his handwriting coming out swirlier and even messier than ever before.

 _He's a friend of mine. He ran away from home though and he doesn't want to be found, so could you keep quiet about it?_

The wonders of writing: no weird pauses, nor was there a guilty tone of voice, only what he wanted them to know. Never before had Sanji had ever used his way of communication to spread a lie. He wanted to let Roronoa know so that he didn't say the wrong thing, but then he realized that he wouldn't be able to read it. Fuck, okay now what?

He grabbed Marimo's hand and tried to quickly write each letter, but not before one of the quartet spoke.

"What's your name?"

"Zo— Choro," "Choro" corrected himself quickly. "My name's Choro." He winced, as though he realized how stupid of a name that was. Well, he couldn't change it now, could he? Sanji would've snickered had he thought it wouldn't cause the end of the world.

"Choro?" Ace repeated disbelievingly.

"Yup, that's my name," said Choro, rocking on the heels of his feet. He clasped his hands together and hummed awkwardly. "So um, Sanji was about to make breakfast so if you cold leave—"

"Breakfast?" repeated Usopp. Roronoa gave the long-nosed man a strange look. "And you didn't invite us?"

Sanji wrote hurriedly.

 _I want to catch up with him, so we'll be having breakfast together. Alone._

Sanji felt his shoulders visibly relax when Usopp pouted. He believed him at least. Ace and Nami still looked suspicious though and he wasn't sure what he could do to rid them of all their suspicions. He obviously couldn't tell them about Marimo's record, that would be utterly stupid of him.

Ace gave Roronoa a strange look but nodded reluctantly. "Whatever you say Sanji."

Sanji would've let out a breath of relief had he thought it wouldn't cause trouble, but of course, he stayed silent.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, the band of friends left and Marimo turned to Sanji.

"You're going to regret protecting me," he said with a frown.

 _Marimo_ , Sanji mouthed.

The green-haired man's brow furrowed. "What the fuck is a Marimo?"

Sanji knew he wouldn't regret it. Regardless of whatever heinous crime Roronoa Zoro had committed, nothing should be punishable by losing oneself and becoming empty.

Those grey eyes of his wouldn't lose their dim, flickering spark. Sanji wouldn't let them.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank yous!_

 _sanzaya : And I thought i was the only one who overanalyzed things like that ... Not that I meant to insult you. And have I ever told you how much I LOVE long reviews? I get a notification every time someone reviews and it writes the review (also, the time stamp when it's sent, I wonder why some people are up at 3 in the morning reading my story? Unless, you know, time zone stuff ...) and I get this immense satisfaction when it says: "This message has been truncated due to length. To view in full, please visit site." I don't know, it makes me think my readers have a lot to say about what I write and I enjoy it immensely._

 _Random Person (x2): You'll never know! Until you know, you read more._

 _lilcutieprincess : I think I have a thing for kidnapping people ... There are tons of parallels to **Beautiful Disaster** , like how Zoro had all the friends and now Sanji has all the friends and how yeah, in chapter 8 of **Beautiful Disaster** , Sanji met Zoro's friends ... I swear, I'm not rewriting **Beautiful Disaster** , I wrote it in a way that there's no way to rewrite it because they alternate for point of view! I think Sanji makes noise when he's asleep, which is what alerted Zoro, because consciously, Sanji will try to keep all sounds to a minimum._

 _tenshuni : Any reason in particular why 3s replaced es? You can't donate to me,(that would be interesting, it'd let me buy the new Mac I kinda want though ... And the new camera I want since mine broke the DAY BEFORE HALLOWEEN (WHY MUST YOU HATE ME WORLD?!) but as I've said, you can reach me at that e-mail address that I shall repeat: setkia dot writer at gmail dot com. _

_OKAY QUESTION TIME! So? What'd you think of Sanji's friends? Ace has a bigger role this time, yay! I also thought about it and realized if this story is told by Zoro and Sanji, yes we can have Ace and Smoker, but they can't have any chapters with their perspective so I MIGHT (and this is a huge MIGHT) write a story called **Flame Proof** , solely as a parallel or a sequel or as a way to see this story, but focus on Ace and Smoker as your main couple. Maybe. Possible. YOU DECIDE! (that wasn't meant to be menacing in any way ...)_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note** : So I got an e-mail from France and it totally blew my mind and I decided to update because of it. I don't own **One Piece.** Also if you're the one who e-mailed me, I kinda am working on the response. Since you wrote the email to me in my mother tongue, I want to do the same and therefore lots of editing and fixing and finding the right words. I LOVE getting e-mails so PLEASE E-MAIL ME!_

* * *

 _ **Speechless**_  
 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

VIII

* * *

Convincing Roronoa Zoro to stay put inside the apartment while Sanji went to work was almost impossible. Ignoring the fact that he couldn't yell his point out to the idiot about how while yes, staying under house arrest isn't preferable, it beat being stuck in a jail cell, which was where he was bound to end up should he ever dare to leave the apartment. For some inexplicable reason, the Marimo had Sanji feeling bad for being so strict with him, digging his bitten — but no less harsh— nails into his flesh, causing the green-haired man to wince.

Sanji was in the middle of making the latest order from one of their morning customers when a loud voice boomed throughout the restaurant. It was incoherent and he couldn't distinguish it from the people yelling and sudden scrambling. Who was causing such a ruckus?

The doors to the kitchen were swung open harshly and in the doorway stood a man who seemed to overpower even Zeff, wearing a thick jacket with rough shoulder-blades, smoking what looked like two cigars at once. His senpaku eyes narrowed and scanned the room before him.

"Is that ...?"

"He's part of the police, isn't he?"

Police? Sanji started to worry suddenly. He didn't put much trust in the police, not after how they had dealt with that incident years ago, but he was grateful for every arrest that they rightfully made. Yet being in the presence of an officer, it hadn't happened since that day.

"Who are you?" demanded Zeff loudly in that booming voice of his that commanded respect.

"Smoker," declared the other man. "Officer Smoker. I'm conducting an investigation for the police department regarding the location of a recently escaped convict," he said in a prideful voice. "Last we heard, he had been seen within about a thirty mile radius of this restaurant."

"What makes you think our restaurant is hiding a criminal?" asked Zeff.

It almost felt like a shouting match between two wrestlers, who would let the other overpower their voice? Who would be heard when it came to the end? Who would get the last word?

"When you make fish your main decorating point, your joint becomes a very easily identifiable location," said Smoker. "We're just covering the area."

"And I suppose your other troops are going into other random shops within your fancy 'thirty mile radius'?" Zeff laughed gruffly. "Don't make me laugh!"

There was a moment of tension when Zeff mentioned troops and Sanji realized that perhaps this guy didn't have much back up. Maybe he was doing this off the grid. It was completely probable. He was a very fierce man, visible not only through his voice, but the way he held himself and his very presence. Sanji wouldn't be surprised if he made an entire military unit on his own.

"Um, Officer Smoker?"

Sanji's attention was drawn towards a girl who was standing just a little behind the large man for the first time. She wore rectangular glasses and had a short hair cut, a sword at her waist. What was it with Sanji and sword-people? Did he just attract weirdos?

"Do you want me to start the questioning?" asked the woman. It was different to see a female in a position like this and Sanji found that rather than disrespecting her like he supposed most officers tended to do to their female subordinates, Smoker had a respect for this woman. It was refreshing.

That still didn't change the fact that he was looking for Roronoa and wanted him behind bars though.

"Has anyone seen a green-haired man named Roronoa Zoro?" demanded Smoker. "Has ear piercings, tanned, blood type XF, carries three katana, the most famously known one Wado Ichimoji." Sanji noticed the lady in the glasses stiffen at the mention of the sword. "He's about that man's height," here Smoker pointed to Sanji.

"Sanji saw him a few weeks ago, didn't he?" asked Carne. "Said he was lost, ain't that right?"

Sanji's eyes widened a fraction, the only emotion showing on his face while he was internally freaking out. Shit, he should've kept his mouth shut— more accurately, his pen down—, why had he told them? His curiosity over a few scars, was it worth it to send a man to jail? Then again, would Sanji have even been waiting for him if he hadn't known who he was? Would Roronoa still be at his apartment had he not asked? Shit, yes he would've, had he still collapsed on the pavement in the back of the Baratie. But would Sanji have been waiting there? Had it been someone else, he'd have been handed straight over to the authorities. Damn Marimo, causing him trouble without even being there.

"You?" asked Smoker, approaching Sanji, taking a long strides. He towered over the blond and squinted. "Did you meet with Roronoa?"

Sanji hit s lip and said nothing. He tired not to blink, but his eyes were watering quickly.

"What's your name?"

"Um, sir?" said Taijo, "you're not going to get anything from him."

"And why not?"

Taijo gave Sanji an apologetic look, knowing Sanji hated it when others "outed" him so to speak. "He doesn't talk sir."

"Can he write?" asked Smoker, looking at him with a scrutinizing gaze. "He's not deaf, is he?"

"No, only ..." There was a pause. "Only mute sir."

Smoker nodded. "Listen up. I'm not going to force you to talk, but if you know anything at all, you need to tell us. I don't give a shit how you do it, if you say it, write it, fucking mime it to me if you want to, but if you're hiding something we can charge you for withholding crucial information that can lead to a dangerous person's arrest."

Sanji took a pen in hand and, with a shaking arm that trembled more than he'd dare admit, he wrote.

 _I saw him for a second. And then he ran away. Haven't seen him since._

Smoker nodded slowly. "Okay," he said. "I'm trusting you're not lying to me, but I ever found out you did ..."

There was no need to finish the sentence. It was obvious.

Carne and Patty looked confused, as though they knew something Sanji didn't want them to. Did they know he had taken in a criminal?

"You're telling me no one but this man saw Roronoa?" asked Smoker, addressing the room now.

Zeff glanced at Sanji, asking a million questions. Sanji just pleaded with him silently to keep quiet. He owed the head chef so much, for forgiving him, for continuing to employ him, for standing at his defence and now he was asking him to do even more and without knowing all details, back him up.

"He's the only one," Zeff said. "Eggplant's in charge of garbage detail."

Smoker nodded.

It took a few more tense moments before he left the room and Sanji felt like he could breathe again.

Zeff gave Sanji a look that spoke volumes.

 _Don't make me regret that._

It was times like these that Sanji wished he could break his own rules, just to utter a single word of gratitude.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2** : The thank-yous!_

 _Random Person : I don't think so, maybe?_

 _NaruHinaLuvr: Yay for Ace! I'm slowly getting better at writing him._

 _lilcutieprincess : The D Brothers are a very protective bunch in my opinion in general, but yeah, they'd be even more protective after what Sanji went through,_

 _bronze andromeda shun(x2) : Yup, nightmare chapters are always interesting and fun to write!_

 _SmAc : I really do want to write that after I'm done **Speechless**._

 _sanzaya : Yes! I forgot to mention it, but yes, Choro is from that dj that I read (God that sounds weird) and because I take too many screenshots, I totally made my friends' heads explode staring at the cuteness of those djs! I loved the part where, in the after story thing, Sandi slaps a fly on Choro's forehead and he gets upset so Sandi rubs his forehead awkwardly. I actually hadn't thought of that, but I do like the idea there, yeah. _

_crystalbluefox : Tada, hope you liked it!_

 _tenshuni : Don't worry, I can't multitask, there's no way I'll be writing two stories at once. I like getting e-mails, it makes me feel like I'm not so unpopular ... I'm kidding, I have friends, but I'm old fashion and like e-mail rather than texting ..._

 _Azurai Wolf: Yup, the joys of writing and taking control of people's minds! (Uh, character minds, I meant characters)_

 _Okay my question for this chapter: we've met Smoker for the first time! What do you think of him? Did I do him right? PLEASE TELL ME I DIDN'T SCREW HIM UP!_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note:** So I've decided to update! On the 11th of November (for Zoro's birthday!) there will be another post, and then I'll be silent for at least 4 days (doing an awesome thing that'll take up all my time) so you'll have to live without an update and my irregular schedule for a while. I don't own **One Piece.**_

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
** By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

IX

* * *

"Smoker? Yeah, I've heard of him," said Ace. "Why?"

 _He came to my work place today_ , Sanji wrote. He glanced over at Roronoa who was sleeping on the couch. Sanji knew from several late nights he had collapsed on that couch before and it did nothing for your back.

"On orders?"

 _I don't think so._

Ace laughed. "That's just like him. I hear he's like a rogue policeman," he said. "Follows his own rules and totally ignores protocol, but more often than not he gets the guy in the end so I suppose it's not all that bad. You suddenly interested in getting involved in your local community?" he teased. "I could give you a tour of the fire station if you want."

 _Would they let me smoke?_

"Can't guarantee anything," Ace admitted.

 _Then no._

Ace laughed loudly. "But seriously, why was he over at your place?"

 _Don't know, didn't say_. Sanji wrote, wondering if Ace could tell he was freaking out on the inside. He shrugged. He wouldn't make the same mistake before, mentioning why Smoker had come would reveal too much about "Choro".

Sanji still found it hilarious. Choro, to run fast or dash. Or a cutesy say of saying Zoro. Looking at the Marimo sleeping on the couch with his limbs sprawled out, light snoring coming from his otherwise quiet form, Sanji could understand the term.

"So breakfast was good?"

Sanji gave a look that clearly said he hadn't realized Ace was still talking to him.

"You know, you ate with Choro? Why'd he run away?"

If Ace wasn't a fireman, Sanji wouldn't be surprised if he took up a job in the investigation unit of some police station or something. He'd probably have fun wielding a gun. Sanji had always found Ace's personality to be refreshing, he and Luffy were one of the first to be so accepting of his decision to be mute.

Mute. It sounded like such a nasty word.

 _It was good. Breakfast I mean. As for him running away, he's kinda embarrassed about it so I don't want to break his confidence_ , Sanji wrote. Good, he didn't have to think of something, especially since he couldn't imagine something that could ever make Roronoa Zoro run rather than face his enemies head on. He didn't seem that way.

Ace eventually left after forcing Sanji to endure a few horrible episodes of that nature channel (which sacred him for life, knowing how cats mated) and he was in the apartment alone with Marimo.

Sanji prepared dinner while the TV hummed with quiet white noise and when he was done, he was ready to wake up the swordsman.

Sitting on the armrest of the couch since the man's large body took up a large amount of the his make-shift bed, he gently rocked the green-haired man's shoulder.

Wait, this wasn't the position he left him in.

Roronoa Zoro's legs were now slanted towards the floor, as though the moment he woke up he'd be bolting out of the room, his hands in front of his chest in what seemed like a fighting pose and he was sweating. His body— shit he was shaking. He scrunched up his eyes and when the man seemed to realize Sanji was shaking him, one of his hands reached out and grabbed his arm tightly, his nails digging into Sanji's skin harshly. His back seemed to arch as he contorted himself, letting out incoherent muttering a that were by no means intellectual.

"Let ... Let go," gasped the —unconscious?— swordsman, pulling at Sanji's arm. Sanji was forced forward and before he knew it, lying on his back, staring up at his ceiling.

 _Note to self: don't try to wake Roronoa Zoro._

Sanji wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He could let the Marimo continue to sleep as he was, looking ready to throw a fit and squirm around on the couch, clearly in what appeared to be silent pain, or he could try to wake him up once more. The pain in his back said it'd probably be best not to though.

Great, now what was he supposed to do?

Fortunately, the swordsman answered that question for him by rolling over for some unknown reason and hitting the carpet, waking himself up.

 _Un_ fortunately, he landed on Sanji.

Sanji bit his lip to stop from grunting, but he did let out a gasp at the sudden increase of weight on him. What if the very person he was offering hospitality to ended up squishing him to death? He kicked harshly and Roronoa Zoro was pushed to the side. Where the coffee table was.

"Fucking hell," the swordsman moaned, holding his head and standing up. Sanji thought it was nice to breathe again.

The green-haired man smelt the air and seemed to realize for the first time that food was ready to be eaten. Almost immediately, like a dog following a bone, he raced into the kitchen and took a seat. Sanji followed him in and noticed how he stopped abruptly while staring at the place mat in front of him.

Roronoa squinted.

Sanji picked up the fork and handed it to him.

The swordsman glared at him, as though to tell him he didn't need his help, and proceeded to eat his food. "Who was here?" asked Roronoa chewing loudly. "I heard the door open at some point."

Sanji didn't know what to do. If Roronoa Zoro was dyslexic, therefore making it hard for him to read anything Sanji's wrote, then he couldn't write using a paper and pen. Though he could write on his hand, Roronoa was eating and from the look on his face, he wasn't going to give up his fork anytime soon. His other hand was in his lap. Okay then …

Sanji stood up from the table and got behind the tanned man. He raised a finger to his back and almost instantly, the man jumped, nearly choking on his food.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

Sanji rolled his eyes and instead continued to write. Slowly, he let his hand rise and make a bridge. He noticed the way Roronoa's body seemed to shiver as his finger trailed along his spine. He made an upside down V with a line through it.

"A …"

A sideways n.

"Ac …"

A sideways capital M.

"Ace. Ace was here?"

Sanji nodded, then realized Roronoa couldn't see him and instead made a quick checkmark on his back.

The swordsman's question answered, he went back to eating, but Sanji still stayed behind him, staring. His back, those scars. Almost every time Sanji saw the back of the swordsman, he was reminded of those scars and he wondered if he'd ever see them up close, ever get to run his fingers across them. Battle scars, he found, told so much about a person. A human could lie as much as they wanted, but the marks and tale engraved in their skin could not.

The swordsman stopped eating and turned around, suddenly very close to Sanji's face.

"I was wondering … am I causing you trouble?"

Sanji shook his head, paying more attention to the various colours that floated in the swordsman's eyes than his words.

"Bullshit," the swordsman declared. "You're hiding a criminal in your shitty apartment. A criminal you know nothing about, you don't know why I was convicted or how I escaped or if I'll murder you in your sleep. You're too kind hearted, I could be … I could be …" The steam Zoro had suddenly ran out and his chest rose and fell in a rather rapid motion as he tried to catch his breath. "You don't know anything."

Sanji's brow furrowed. What was he getting at?

"I said it before, I'm not a charity case, I can take care of myself." _Then why are you shaking?_ "I … I'm strong. You've never seen me fight, I'm really strong." _I'm sure you are._ "So … so you don't need to do this." _But I do._ "Just …" Zoro's eyes shut tightly and his hands fisted on the table. "Stop fucking pitying me, okay?!"

Sanji shook his head.

 _I don't pity you. I see myself within you and that's why I'm helping you. Because you have a beautiful voice, loud, obnoxious, full of rage. You have a purpose, you have a fire in your eyes, no matter how much it's wavering. You have a goal and you want to reach it, but you're hesitating. You have scars, so many of them. You're me, before this. And I don't want you to become like I am. Because I like the sound of your voice._

But of course, Sanji said nothing. Not a word.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous!_

 _bronze andromeda shun: I sn't that the way it works with every character?_

 _lilcutieprincess : Sorry about that, I was just kind of thinking about that scene (remember all the way back if you can) how in Loguetown when that girl spilt ice cream on Smoker's pants, he joked with her and gave her money for more ice cream. I just thought that'd be the way he'd treat Sanji because of his "disability"._

 _crystalbluefox : Happy belated birthday!_

 _Random Person : Wait, wait, wait, there's 806 CHAPTERS NOW?! SINCE WHEN?! _

_Ideop's : Well too late, already e-mailed you back and all, got a reply, wrote back again and am waiting for another reply. If you so chose to._

 _tenshuni : My friend's laughed when I told them about that review of yours, and Zoro's chapter is coming up._

 _NaruHinaLuvr : THANK GOD!_

 _Dyloa : I swear, every long silence from you makes me think you might've gone and died somewhere by accident or that I've offended you, especially since the intervals between them make me freak out so much! _

_Okay now for my question: It seems I like to compare this story to my past story of **Beautiful Disaster**. Here's my question: do you think the relationship Zoro and Sanji are developing in this story has healthier beginnings than **Beautiful Disaster**? (if you've read **Beautiful Disaster** )_

 _Also, the officia **l Beautiful Disaster** playlist is on my profile, and it's long and diverse and weird because I listen to so much random stuff there's Celine Dion on there with All Time Low. Yup, diverse music taste. Check that out if you want and tell me if you recognize any of the songs, further more, tell me which is your favourite!_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note:** HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZORO! (Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Sanji's Marimo, happy birthday to you! I'm not insane.) Okay so as promised for Zoro's birthday we have a new chapter! Yay! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, but some trouble too since I didn't want him to come off as too weak, but I had to consider his injuries ... I've never actually gotten into a fight before so all of these moves are based off of things I've seen and what I wish I could do. I don't own **One Piece.**_

* * *

 _ **Speechless**_ _  
By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

X

* * *

What was he doing here?

Zoro stared up at the dotted ceiling of Sanji's guest bedroom and wondered for the thousandth time why he hadn't left. Technically this was an abduction and he was unwillingly taken in by the blond and yet there were tons of opportunities for him to leave the apartment and yet he had never done it. Today Ace had come by and Sanji had looked slightly unnerved. It makes sense though, housing a criminal hardly lets you have peace of mind.

Zoro sat up in the bed and threw the covers off of himself. Slipping out of the bed, he grabbed his swords that were leaning against the wall. He secured them tightly around his waist before he creeped out into the hallway.

In the dark with his horrible eye, he was having some trouble seeing what was in front of him. Feeling along the wall he stumbled along. When he reached the door, he pulled it open and prayed to a God he didn't believe in that Sanji wouldn't wake up. That bastard had already gotten into enough trouble thanks to him.

He was fine walking down the street for a few blocks. He wasn't sure where he was going and he needed to keep out of the lights from the cars, as few as there were out at this hour. He had to keep out of street lights and basically hide under the darkness of the night, despite being absolutely terrified and certain each step he took was into a deep, bottomless abyss.

He took a left, a right, two more lefts and then just walked straight until he found himself in front of an alley. A dead end. Fucking fantastic.

He turned around, about to go back the way he had come and retrace his steps when he heard it.

Footsteps.

The alleyway was dark and damp and everything seemed to echo. He could hear them as they approached, slowly closing in on him. His hand immediately went for Wado, pushing up the hilt, ready to draw at any moment. He held his breath staying as silent as he possibly could when the footsteps stopped.

Had it been a few weeks ago, he'd have relaxed but he had learnt early on that the streets were ruthless and if he thought he had heard something, he was probably right. He drew Shusui and Sandai quickly, placing Wado in his mouth. His sword's blade happened to be in the direction of his bad eye, making his vision even more unstable. He'd have to change that but he didn't have time too, not when he was certain something was about to jump out at him.

There was laughter that chilled him to the bone suddenly.

"Look what we have here."

There was a deep chuckle and then suddenly there was a hand on his neck, squeezing tightly. Zoro twisted, trying to shake them off, but they only tightened their grip. His breathing came out quicker, laboured and unsteady.

"What are you doing here, lost boy?" asked a man, whispering in his ear.

Zoro shoved his arms back, trying to strike at him but the man side stepped. Damn his eye and awareness, it was throwing him off completely.

"Wait a minute," a new voice whispered. "Do we know you?"

"I think we do," said another voice. "Roronoa Zoro, right? The Demon of the Streets."

"This is a demon?" demanded another one of them.

Okay, three voices meant three people. Zoro had taken on more than just three people on before at once. Three, one for each of his swords.

"What a joke!"

The one behind him pushed him in the back, probably using his foot and Zoro stumbled forwards. He steadied himself though quickly and raised Sandai and Shusui, ready to strike them down. The men on his sides tried to grab his arms but Zoro flailed frantically, forcing them to let go. He struck at the one on his right and they fell back but the one on his left kicked him harshly and forced Zoro to stumble forward towards the man he had just hit.

They jumped onto his back. Zoro sheathed his swords quickly and tried to back up and slam his body against the cement. The man fell down harshly. Okay, two down, one to go. As Zoro tried to stumble back to stand, he tripped and fell forward. The man in the back of the alleyway grabbed Zoro's leg and pulled.

The swordsman lost his balance and fell down. He could feel the blood as it dripped down, the pain in his eye getting worse, as though the wound had reopened. He could taste metal in his mouth as his whole world seemed to spin. There was a harsh kick at his ribs and his vision blurred. What was going on around him?

"You're some demon," the man said with a chuckle. "They called you a criminal and the police believed them? This is pathetic." He kicked at Zoro again, his body lurching against his will. "You're almost as pathetic as that other man, the one who was crying. How long ago was it again? Oh, it doesn't matter. Just crying for his mother and father, the baby. He totally lost his shit though when the old man lost his leg …"

Zoro forced himself to move, extending his leg and wrapping it around the man's ankle, pulling until he fell to the floor.

Picking himself up off the ground he stumbled out of the alleyway only to see the blazing light of flames.

That was it, Zoro was just ready to surrender, regardless of whether or not he got a fair trial. Even if he had been wrongly convicted before, they could safely arrest him now, having escaped jail. That made him a fugitive, didn't it?

"Portgas, get your damn squad under control!" came a loud booming voice. "We don't pay you to flirt with cops!"

"I'm talking to someone!" a familiar voice screamed. Wait, was that Ace? Zoro looked to his right and saw a man dressed in a fireman's uniform but there was no denying those freckles, visible in the firelight. "I'm telling you, it wasn't arson," Ace told the man in front of him, shaking his head. He was talking to a tall man wearing a large jacket, smoking two cigars. "You think I don't know how fires are started?"

"Was a Roronoa anywhere within the premises?" demanded the man in a gruff voice.

"Roronoa? You mean that escaped criminal?" Ace shook his head. "Are you kidding me? That guy's a swordsman right? What would he be doing playing with matches? Look, the fire started because of a gas leak, the piping in the condo is really old."

"Don't play dumb with me Portgas, you're a complete pyromaniac—"

"So now you're accusing me of starting the fire?" Ace shook his head. "Look if you think I did it, it wasn't my fault, I told you, it was a gas leak."

"I don't trust you," said the officer.

"You're the only police officer here, so I'm guessing you're here on your own volition? Are you breaking protocol by any chance, Officer Smoker?"

The man stiffened. "How do you know who I am?"

"You're infamous," said Ace.

"Smoker" averted his eyes from Ace's and suddenly, through the flames they locked on Zoro.

Shit.

"Hey!" Smoker yelled, running towards him. Ace followed behind the tall man and suddenly the officer was in front of Zoro, staring at him. "You, who are you?"

"Choro?" Ace asked, giving Zoro a strange look. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Choro?" repeated Smoker.

"Yeah, Choro," Ace said.

"That can't be whoever the fuck 'Choro' is, that has to be Roronoa Zoro. No one else in this city has green hair," Smoker said, glaring at Zoro scrutinizingly.

Recognition seemed to dawn in Ace's eyes. He knew. Shit. This was the end of the line, Zoro was totally screwed. And then Ace surprised him.

"Does this Roronoa person have a damaged left eye?"

Smoker gazed at Ace in confusion. "What?"

"Look, can't you see his eye is clearly injured? And you know, hair can look different colours under different lighting. Sometimes my hair looks pink when there's fire," Ace added. "You must be hallucinating or something, the smoke and flames tend to do that to some people." He turned his attention onto Zoro specifically. "Come on Choro, we should get you back home, Sanji must be worried sick about you."

"Sanji?" repeated Smoker.

"Did I say Sanji? I meant Sandi," Ace said. "Come on Choro, let's got see Sandi!"

With that, he guided Zoro away from the officer and down the street. The moment they turned the corner after Ace yelled at his team that they were doing great and he was taking an impromptu break (much to their displeasure), he turned on Zoro.

"I knew it!" he screamed. "I knew it, I had seen you somewhere before! What kind of a fucking name is Choro anyway?!" Ace ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Sanji knows about this, doesn't he? That you're a criminal?"

Zoro stayed silent.

"Why would he— you were hungry, weren't you?" Ace sighed. "Of course you were hungry. Let's just look past everyone's flaws, even convinced serial murderers because oh, their stomach's empty! God bless you Sanji …" He glared at Zoro. "Don't think I'm not still pissed at you, but if Sanji's decided to keep this a secret, then I won't be the one to betray his trust. For some insane reason, Sanji trusts you. Let's just make something clear here though: though Sanji might've put his faith in you, I don't trust you one bit. You do anything to hurt him and I snap your neck in half, got it?"

Zoro nodded.

Ace took out his phone, about to call someone when his phone rang. He picked it up. "What?— Oh, it's you Luffy, I was just going to call." There was a moment of silence for a second before Ace continued. "What do you mean you're over at Sanji's?"

Zoro could hear Luffy's voice slightly over the phone.

"Who the heck is that? I thought we were looking for Choro!"

"I've got him with me," Ace said, interrupting Luffy. "I'm bringing him over, the idiot decided to go wandering." He sighed and shut his phone. "You've got Sanji worrying about you, bastard. Come on, let's just go."

Zoro was silent on the way back.

When he entered the apartment again, he found Sanji sleeping on the couch, a notepad on the coffee table. Zoro flicked on a switch in the kitchen and stared at the note. If given enough time, he was sure he could read it properly. He wiped away the blood from his eye, squinting, trying to read it.

 _We … We're … where … where is … Z … Zoro. Where is Zoro?_

He spelt it right.

Zoro looked over at Sanji's sleeping form, noticing the way his brow seemed furrowed. He had his secrets, he had a right to them but for the first time, rather than being concerned about hiding his own past from the blond, Zoro was now wondering who exactly was this cook who took in the hungry?

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2** : The thank-yous!_

 _GPEG: At this moment in time though, Sanji doesn't exactly feel anything romantic towards Zoro yet, he's just kind of ... acting like Zoro's his child? In a sense?_

 _Dyloa : Yeah ... I realize that ... I'm not sure which Sanji's more screwed up, the traumatized one or the raped one ..._

 _crystalbluefox : Thank you! I can't believe my senpai is reading my stories! I'm still in shock!_

 _Random Person : Thank you for the idea, it might just happen._

 _NaruHinaLuvr : He IS a Marimo after all._

 _Ideop's : Okay so, the reason why Zoro came running is because that while Sanji doesn't consciously make any noise when he's awake, when he's asleep is an entirely different story. As you might've noticed in **Beautiful Disaster** , Sanji's a screamer when it comes to bad dreams. I figured I'd keep it in this story, but he himself, like in **Beautiful Disaster** , is unaware of his screaming when he's asleep. Also the reason why it's taking me long to answer to your e-mail is because I'm trying to check out all those stories you mentioned._

 _tenshuni : To regurgitate is to throw up something that you've already eaten, DID YOU EAT ZORO?! NOOOO! I like both of the relationship builds quite personally, but **Beautiful Disaste** r was a bit more fun with more humour, I know this story's missing my dash of humour amongst the angst, but it's coming! But why rush a good thing?_

 _Shizuka Taiyou : I love how I can't fool you guys for a second and you just all seem to know that Sanji's never killed someone ... Dammit and I was hoping to be all mysterious. I've never heard of that thing, but that could be because I just spend time on YouTube and watching anime ... And editing ridiculously long stories ..._

 _lilcutieprincess : I wonder why you think that... I just think I suck at coming up with non-horrible ways to form relationships. I mean sure, it eventually develops into something beautiful, but still ... Just about the only story without bad beginnings are the ones where Sanji and Zoro have already met each other ... I enjoy traumatizing them ... I wonder what that says about me..._

 _bronze andromeda shun : I think this story has a deeper development that's easier to pinpoint from **Beautiful Disaster.**_

 _Okay so my question for you guys: before, in all past chapters, Sanji only ever calls Zoro "Roronoa", or "Marimo", only ever saying his first name when combined with his last name. Since the whole chapter is told by Sanji's point of view, you can understand the narrative to be his thoughts, his lack of using the term "Zoro" was impossible for me to deal with. However near the end of chapter 9, he started to use the term Zoro. In this chapter, he asked where "Zoro" was, not "Roronoa" or "Choro" or "Marimo", so my question is: what do you think that means? (BECAUSE IT MEANS SOMETHING, I WAS DOING SOMETHING HERE! PLEASE NOTICE IT!)_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note:** I've decided to change the tense of this story and make it present tense so I'll be editing past chapters to fix it so that it's in present tense. I had a busy while and this chapter feels rushed to me and kind of weird, but I hope you guys like it! Also, weird thing happened: I read a book and in it, I basically found myself if I was in university majoring in English, but I probably wouldn't be getting the hot boyfriend who drives a truck ... I don't own **One Piece** , if you can name the book I read that's about 433 pages long and I finished in under 7 hours, I'll congratulate you!_

* * *

 ** _Speechless_**  
 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

XI

Sanji's back hurts.

 _I fell asleep on the couch._

It's when his eyes open that he remembers. Zoro. That bastard went missing. He had woken up in the middle of the night from another nightmare and found that the apartment had been too quiet. Usually, when he woke up from his nightmares, he could hear the Marimo tossing and turning in the squeaky guest bed, but instead last night he had heard nothing. He had knocked on Luffy's door and woken up he and Nami in a panic.

Looking around himself, he's ready to go rushing back to Luffy's to ask if they've found him when he remembers he doesn't have a green pillow.

Sitting there, relaxed and sprawled out like a rag doll, is Roronoa Zoro. He seems to be covered in blood and it's in the poor lighting of the morning that Sanji realizes that this looks too familiar to him. He knows that when he was grieving, he did some pretty stupid things. Gone to a strip club or two, maybe ended up on the wrong side of the tracks for a few weeks, but he's never gotten himself badly beaten up. Or maybe this isn't an affect of grieving.

 _What did you do to yourself?_

As though sensing Sanji's gaze, the Marimo blinks an eye open, startling grey meeting Sanji's blue.

Wait.

Sanji drops to his knees and stares a little harder. He raises a hand and gently touches Zoro's eyelids. He notices the swordsman flinch, obviously slightly injured. Against his cheek, unable to muster the strength to take his hand, Sanji writes.

 _E. Y. E. ?_

"Why are you so close to me?" asks Zoro rather than answering Sanji's question.

Sanji's hand's trembling now, too nervous to dare to press any harder, so he just retraces the same letters against the tanned man's strong cheekbones.

"E … Aye … Eye. You're asking about my eye?" replies Zoro, frowning slightly.

Sanji's hand rises up again to gently trace over his eyelid. The grey eye stares back at him, confusion and a softness Sanji didn't know the swordsman was capable of present in those orbs of his. Using his other hand, against Zoro's chest, he writes it one more time.

"I got into a fight," says Zoro, looking away from him, as though ashamed. Sanji begins to trace again, his fingers soft and gentle across the muscled chest of the taller man. "S … See …" Zoro shakes his head. "I can see, sort of."

Sanji gives him a look.

"It's a bit blurry," Zoro admits. "It's just one of my eyes though," he adds quickly as though trying to calm Sanji down, though why Zoro feels he needs to reassure Sanji is beyond the blond. "D … Do … Doc … Doctore? No, doctor …. No!" Zoro jumps away from Sanji quickly, much to the cook's surprise. "You're not taking me to a doctor, I don't need one. I can't see one anyway." He shakes his head and frowns. "No, if I see one, then … then …"

Sanji traces.

"Yes, I know my eye but I'm fine," Zoro insists. He pushes Sanji gently out of his way, much to the blond's surprise. He's expecting to be forcefully shoved, but instead there's only a light press and then Sanji's standing to the side and Zoro's walking pridefully towards the kitchen.

"See? I'm fine."

And Sanji would've believed him. The swordsman walks with purpose, with certainty. And then he stumbles when he reaches the lights switch.

* * *

"I hate hospitals," Zoro mutters from the passenger seat of Sanji's car.

Sanji ignores him and turns the street. Zoro doesn't know they aren't going to a hospital. They're going to a friend. One of Sanji's friends. He's young, but he's a very good doctor, one of the best and he specializes in paediatrics, so even though he isn't exactly an eye professional, Sanji trusts him, especially given Zoro's childish behaviour. Maybe he'll shove a lollipop in his mouth and the Marimo will shut up.

Sanji parks his car in the driveway and gets out of the car, opening the side door for Zoro who stays put, his seatbelt fastened, his arms crossed, mouth drawn in a thin line. "I'm not moving."

See? Childish.

It's times like these where Sanji wishes he could just call out to his friend and get him to come out. Of course, that doesn't happen, bad things would happen if Sanji does that, so instead, he shuts the car door, locks it and walks up to the front door of the nice, welcoming house. He can imagine the picket fence in front of it, it's so serene.

Chopper opens the door, his mousy brown hair in slight disarray, but he grins widely when he sees Sanji.

"Sanji!" he says with a grin. "I haven't seen you in forever! How've you been?"

Sanji grins back at him (it's impossible not to grin when Chopper sends you a smile) and points behind him.

Chopper has to move around the taller man to see the car he's pointing at. "You brought me a patient? He doesn't look like a child."

Sanji shakes his head. He's left his writing supplies in the car, so he supposes he'll have to drag Chopper down with him first. He pulls at the shorter man's arm and they walk down the steps together. As they go, Sanji notices the way Chopper seems to become more and more cautious, as though he's approaching a wild animal. Does he know about Zoro? Was it a mistake to bring Zoro out into the open of more people?

When Chopper finally sees Zoro, he freezes.

Sanji worries almost immediately. Oh dear God. Zoro's going to be found out and it'll be all his fault and then he'll feel awful about for the rest of his life, knowing he's put another man behind bars and—

"Why didn't you send him to me sooner?" demands Chopper. "Get out of the car," he tells Zoro. "You need to be washed up and then we can take a look at that eye of yours."

Zoro stubbornly stays put.

Sanji unlocks the door and Chopper opens it, bending down to be eye level with the Marimo. "Hi, my name's Tony, but you can call me Chopper," he introduces himself in that way of his, the one that makes the most nervous patients smile and come towards him with a warm smile.

Except Zoro isn't a child and he isn't nervous; he's pissed.

"Why would I call you that?" he snaps.

"I just want to take a look at your eye," says Chopper gently. "But in order to do that, you're going to have to get out of the car."

"Not happening, shortie."

Chopper nods slowly. "Sanji, will you wait here? I can do the examination outside, I just need to get my things."

Sanji nods and waits, feeling Zoro's intense, seething gaze as he glares holes into the back of his head.

 _It's for your own good, Marimo._

Chopper comes back in a few minutes and takes out his doctor's kit. It's so big in comparison to him, Sanji thinks of a little child playing with a toy kit, but he knows that Chopper's the real deal and honestly, he couldn't have gone to a better doctor.

"What's your name?"

"What's it to you?"

Chopper turns to Sanji, handing him a notepad.

Sanji panics for a moment. What should he call Zoro? Choro? That was a stupid name and besides, the only ones who thought of him through that name were Luffy and Nami and he's pretty sure Nami doesn't believe him anyway. He decides to risk it and writes _Zoro_.

"Zoro," Chopper says, turning to the swordsman. "How'd you get hurt?"

"None of your fucking business." His voice is cold and hard.

"Can you see through that eye of yours?" asks Chopper with the patience that only years of practice can give you.

Zoro glares at Sanji, who sends him back a harsh look. Zoro's shoulders seem to slump when he realizes that he's got no way out of this situation. "It's fuzzy."

"When did you hurt your eye?" asks Chopper gently.

Zoro seems to think for a moment. "Three days ago, I think …"

Chopper nods. "You should've gotten immediate medical attention—" here, Zoro scoffs, "— but I suppose as long as your other eye works just fine, you'll do alright. I can't do much about that eye of yours, but I can help treat those wounds of yours. Did you get into a fight?"

Zoro turns his head up and away from Chopper.

Chopper takes it as a yes.

* * *

When Chopper has bandaged Zoro up and stitched him up lightly (in the house of course, but it takes forever) he tells Sanji what he needs to change his bandages every few hours for the next while and he should stop Zoro from getting into any serious fights.

On the way back to Sanji's apartment, he's not sure if he imagines it, but he thinks he hears Zoro mutter a quiet "thank-you".

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** Okay the thank-yous!_

 _crystalbluefox : I hope you liked this chapter, I'm really grateful that you like the stuff I write, I swear, I brag about it all the time._

 _Noir : Yup, I love that dj! (I can't write the full name and so it sounds weird when I mention it to my friends ...)_

 _Random Person: Z oro's calling him someone who helps others when they're hungry because of the fact that the first thing Sanji did for Zoro that was hospitable was give him food and Ace says to him, "Why would he- you were hungry, weren't you?"_

 _tenshuni : I've said this a thousand times: I don't condone abandoning education for an update, you guys make that choice yourself. I personally very much value education and so I've never read a story during class. Okay, rant over, now to talk about better things! Fact: November 11th in Remembrance Day in Canada and my school had an assembly for it. We forgot to sing O Canada and I felt like a horrible Canadian._

 _Ideop's : I have it open, the tabs to read what you've recommended, but I haven't gotten around to it cause I've been studying for exams, which are actually three weeks away and writing literary essays, have I ever said how much I hate those? Anyway, I will read it eventually!_

 _LettersLover : Your welcome, why wouldn't I share it? Isn't that what the internet's for?_

 _lilcutieprincess : All questions to be answered in time ..._

 _Shizuka Taiyou: You'll never know! Well, you will but if I say anything about your prediction, spoilers!_

 _Blackpiece : Thank you for your interpretations... Wow I feel like a douche for saying it that way ... My excuse: I'm listening to Skillet, it makes me less civilized._

 _ThePoliceLlama (x4): Still ahead of me by a lot. I can't believe I've become this popular in a series I know nothing about in comparison to other people ..._

 _Okay my question: did you guys like Chopper?_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Author's Note:** I don't own **One Piece,** and if you guys haven't noticed, I've posted a chapter for a story I'm thinking will be my next story called **Escort Me** , so if you haven't seen it and you like what I write, you should check it out, leave a review and tell me if you like the idea! I am so sorry this is so short, I just had no idea what else to do for this chapter ... Despite having it all planned. RANDOM FACT: I look for stories in the archive with the settings set to order by favorites and completed, rating all. So first of all, if you want me to check out a story that isn't very up there or you've written, please tell me and I will look for it, but my head just totally went up into space when **Beautiful Disaster** was on the 6th page of most favorited stories! I'm in single digits! Thank you guys SO MUCH FOR THIS, really, it's all because of you!_

* * *

 ** _Speechless_**  
 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

XII

* * *

Sanji is many things including blond, an assistant chef, a trauma victim, a sharp dressed man and a smoker, but one thing he is not is a doctor.

That being said, one can only imagine how well it goes to try and help someone who stubbornly refused the help of a real doctor, when you yourself have no actual qualifications.

"No!" Zoro says, shaking his head and refusing point-blank to a low Sanji to help him.

Sanji gestures towards the bandages that cover Zoro's body, the bandages that are currently covered in dried blood. Clearly he needs to change his bandages, but of course, being the stubborn asshole he is, that just can't possibly happen, now can it?

"I don't care!" Zoro says grumbling.

Sanji reaches his hands outwards, about to forcefully push Zoro onto the couch when he freezes. He can feel the pressure on his shoulder-blades, fingers so long, they wrap around his entire shoulder, so tightly they may just crush his bones. He rolls his shoulder back as a reflex and Zoro gives him an odd look.

Sanji shakes his head and instead gestures towards the couch.

"No."

Sanji grabs the bandages and instead of asking for Zoro's permission, he starts to take off the man's shirt, tossing it aside and then letting his fingers run across the bandages that wrap around his torso. He can feel the scars still, the little bumps and ridges in his skin. Zoro closes his eyes and keeps quiet while Sanji begins to undo the scars.

Sanji can tell Zoro's tensing under his touch. When was the last time someone touched him this way?

"Don't look," Zoro says quietly.

Does Zoro think Sanji hasn't seen worse?

Sanji ignores his words and instead continues to try and undo the bandages that are wrapped around Zoro's body expertly by the skilled hands of a practitioner. His fingers, usually agile with a knife and kneading, are now clumsy and just a little disorganized, to be expected of an amateur.

As each bandage is peeled off, the Marimo's jaw clenches even tighter, almost bracing himself for each movement. He takes a deep breath and lets out a hiss between his teeth as Sanji guides the bandage off of him. It falls to the floor and Sanji takes a new one.

Slowly, he wraps it around the Marimo who seems to be struggling to keep still. Suppose he doesn't like invaders of his personal space? Sanji lets his fingers run across each scar as they slowly are unveiled to him. Perhaps its strange that he has such a fascination with them, but he knows more than anyone how much stories they hold, the amount of tales that are written in someone's skin, he finds them captivating.

There's a large one, right across his chest, a diagonal line. Chopper tried to stitch it up and yet no amount of sewn lines can hide the gruesomeness of the cut. He wants to ask so many questions, right on the tip of his tongue, but he holds them in and keeps quiet. What can he say after all?

Zoro hisses as Sanji does up the bandage and it looks strange. Chopper's solution to Zoro's eye is to place a temporary eyepatch over it, reminding Sanji strongly of a pirate. It suits him. Zoro still has his eye, Sanji knows this, but he knows that it may never open again. Chopper had said Zoro should've gotten immediate medical attention, but of course the _baka_ hadn't.

Sanji runs his fingers over the patch and Zoro flinches away.

"You're very touchy," he says. He's not complaining, just stating a fact. Sanji pulls his hand back anyway.

There are so many questions Sanji wants to ask.

Why did you run away? Are you scared? What did you do that you're a wanted criminal? Who attacked you? How did you get those scars? Are you really innocent? Did Ace find out? Do you hate me for making you see a doctor? What do you think of all this? What's your story? What are you afraid of? Why are you scared? Why are you running?

But of course, Sanji keeps quiet as he's become prone to and keeps all these questions locked away.

For the first time, it's not because he's scared of what will happen if he does open his chapped, cracked lips to utter those syllables he's never spoken in so long. It's because of the words he's not sure he's ready to hear from the scarred man's mouth.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous! This is all in opposite order cause I got lazy and decided to just copy and paste your comments and then reply to them!_

 _CherishMyFangirlism : Awesome username, but uh, okay, so here's the deal: does this mean that my forty-two chapter story, Beautiful Disaster is crap? Dammit, I tried really hard!_

 _Shadow Lily Potter: Well I haven't seen that anime, but I might. After I finish **Bleach**. My friend will kill me if I don't finish **Bleach**. I'm still recovering from a character death in there ... 50 more episodes to go!_

 _Ideop's : Paediatric doctor, it means he works with kids, just in case you didn't know. He's basically the doctor you'd send your kids to if they had the flu or something. I didn't realize it until after I read the chapter over, but you're right, he kinda is like that, stronger than Zoro I mean in that scene. And no, I WILL READ IT because I have the tabs open and I shall not close them until they've been read!_

 _sanzaya (x2): I have him as like, a man in his early twenties like all of my **One Piece** characters in AUs... I imagine him as this short guy with messy brown hair who kind of stumbles on his feet a lot (if he were human). I told my friend your opinion of him and she laughed, she loves it!_

 _tenshuni : Yeah uh this chapter was kind of this way cause I had to update anyway and I couldn't think of anything better ..._

 _ThePoliceLlama : Love your name and when I tried to look you up for your offer, I found a lot of danisnotonfire fanfictions so ... Yeah, the fandoms sad ... I really would like it if you'd do that but you know, if you don't want to do it for something this long and collaborate with me (cause I just think as an author, you ought to have a say in it, sorry if that sounds pushy ...) I'd understand._

 _crystalbluefox : Yeah, this story probably doesn't have as much development as **Beautiful Disaster,** but I like it all the same...LettersLover: I suppose you're right ... I'm glad you look forward to it!_

 _lilcutieprincess : Well I've updated ... sorry it's so short, it makes me feel ashamed ..._

 _Random Person: Heh ... heh... I'm Canadian, my Thanksgiving happened in October... And with it came full school uniform! Stupid tie ..._

 _And now my question for you all: Yeah, could you check out **Escort Me** and tell me what you think? And what'd you think of Sanji's doctor skills? (I'm no doctor, I know nothing that is why this scene is even crappier than anything I've ever written ... and I'm slow at making everything present tense ...)_

 _Do you guys have any idea how long it took me to get to this many reviews for **Beautiful Disaster**? Or the amount of reviews I've got for **Escort Me** already? You're inflating my ego, it took me like, 3 months to get to this point for **Beautiful Disaster** and now, **Escort Me,** not even a week old, has at least 19 follows!_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Author's Note:** Okay in like, 2 chapters we'll be where I really want us to be and then I can have more fun and the chapters will get slightly longer and you'll definitely get 1000 words per chapter at least, as someone who likes length, these short chapters are killing me ... Also, I've decided to change the format the slightest bit. Each part of this story is named after a song and the lyrics will be there. I don't own **One Piece** , I own a **One Piece** wallet that came with this adorable picture of the crew (minus Franky and Brooke) chibied celebrating ... Luffy's birthday? I think. Sanji's kicking Zoro while holding a cake in one hand and Robin and Nami are smiling at the camera and it's really cute! Warning, it's a big part of the song, it's the bridge and it's ridiculously long. I've decided to post early!_

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
** By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

 _On and on, like we're living on a broken record._  
 _Hope is strong, but misery's a little quicker._  
 _Sit, and we wait, and we drown there,_  
 _Thinking, "Why bother playing when it's unfair?"_  
 _They say life's a waste, I say they lack belief._  
 _They tell me luck will travel, I tell 'em that's why I've got feet._  
 _Left, right, left, right,_  
 _Moving along to the pulse of a heartbeat._  
 _This could be the last chance you have to fly._  
 _Do you like the ground? Want it to pass you by?_  
 _Man, you had it all when you were just a kid._  
 _Do you even remember who you were back then?_  
 _What do you want in life? Will you be twice as strong?_  
 _What would you sacrifice? What are you waiting on?_  
 _-Battle Scars,_ Paradise Fears

XIII

* * *

There's a knock on the door.

Sanji sits up straighter and holds up a finger for Zoro to wait a moment, not that the man has much of a choice. "Every four hours, change his bandages," Chopper had said. Sanji plans on doing just that. He won't have the Marimo injured under his watch.

Sanji opens the door to see Ace standing in the hallway, frowning. The fireman looks over Sanji's shoulder at the green-haired man and sends him a suspicious look. "Oi! Moss-head!"

"Don't call me that," Zoro snaps.

"I'll call you whatever I want as long as you've been accused of arson, you little asshole!"

Sanji's eyes widen. Arson?

Zoro's eyes widen in surprise as well. "Arson?" he repeats. "Does this have anything to do with that Smoker guy?"

Ace frowns and glares at Zoro. "Yeah, it fucking does. Look, I'm not on the best terms with the officer in the first place, I've seen him around, heard rumours about him and all that shit but he keeps knocking on my door telling me it was an arsonist and then of course, he jumps to the only possible person responsible. You."

Sanji feels like his stomach is sinking. So it's true. Ace does know. And he hasn't told anyone? Why?

"I didn't fucking do it," Zoro snaps at Ace, glaring. "What reason do I have to do it? I've never seen that fucking building in my entire life, you think I just lit 'em up for fun? I don't play with fire." His voice sounds like venom, as though he's ready to attack at Ace harshly and the only reason he isn't doing so right now is because he doesn't have his swords with him. Suddenly, the title demon makes sense to him. And suddenly, Sanji feels an emotion that he had felt so much, he couldn't possibly feel it anymore. Fear.

"Well the lab brought back a report on the whole incident, it was arson and so of course, Smoker thinks you did it."

"Well tell the fucking nicotine addict that I wasn't even in the fucking vicinity or whatever bullshit he's claiming! I'm hardly the only escaped criminal on the streets!"

"You're the most recent one, the one who everyone's talking about," Ace says. "They practically put a bounty on your head."

"They know I fight with swords, it's in my file or whatever the fuck they have on me, if they want an arsonist, they should look towards Cabaji or some other lunatic like that!" Zoro shakes his head. "I didn't do it, I'm not fucking stupid, I don't have a death wish!"

Ace turns to Sanji. "How do you even trust this guy? You found him on the streets, probably bloody from what I can guess, and you just took him in? He could be planning to kill you in your sleep! Why are you letting him here? Do you trust this psycho or something? Why the fuck are you doing this? You're putting yourself in danger for no reason!"

 _Why am I doing this?_

 _Because he's me._

 _Because he's full of fire._

 _Because he's tired._

 _Because he was hungry._

 _Because I like the sound of his voice._

 _Because … Because I like him._

Sanji takes a moment to breathe. He can't say any of these things. Partially because he won't let the sound slip from his lips, partially because he can't stand to hear his scratchy, hoarse, husky voice, partially because he thinks it's self-explanatory, but ultimately because he doesn't know what he means when he thinks of the word "like".

Instead he takes the channel guide and a pen from his pocket, writing out his next words carefully.

 _He didn't do it. Knowing the Marimo, he got himself lost and couldn't find his way back. He got into a fight, didn't know where he was or what he was doing. He's right, he fights with swords, he doesn't use matches._

Ace stares at Sanji, without words.

"But—"

Ace's fury is abruptly cut off by the opening of the door and his younger brother's raised voice, saying the very words that stop Sanji's blood.

"Guys, the police is downstairs. They're looking for someone. Some guy named Roronoa Zoro."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2** : The thank-yous and yeah, it's gonna take a while before I change all the tenses of the chapters ... Be patient, I know it reads weirdly._

 _bloodyredfox : You'll get it, I swear! it's coming._

 _Tsukino Aisuru - A: I have the moment he speaks planned. I won't tell you when it'll happen, that's ruin the surprise, but yeah, it's gonna be important. Maybe not as important as you think but ..._

 _Random Person: No, he's not sure if he's ready for the answers that Zoro might tell him when he asks the questions._

 _lilcutieprincess : Yup, I've updated ... Why do I feel like this story is just going downhill?_

 _Okay my question for this chapter: do you think Sanji's stupid for taking Zoro in, despite being a convicted criminal (which Sanji knew at the time) and housing him, despite the consequences he might face?_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Author's Note:** Yes, I know you're going to kill me about how short this is ... I'M SORRY! I swear, chapter 15 will be a thousand times better but this drabble (I don't know how to spell it, I've never had to spell it before) of a chapter had to exist. I don't own **One Piece**. Please review, no matter how mad you are at me! The next chapter will be on like Saturday and then I'm going to be gone for the next 2 weeks (after next week) so you'll have to wait._

* * *

 _ **Speechless**_  
 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

 _On and on, like we're living on a broken record._  
 _Hope is strong, but misery's a little quicker._  
 _Sit, and we wait, and we drown there,_  
 _Thinking, "Why bother playing when it's unfair?"_  
 _They say life's a waste, I say they lack belief._  
 _They tell me luck will travel, I tell 'em that's why I've got feet._  
 _Left, right, left, right,_  
 _Moving along to the pulse of a heartbeat._  
 _This could be the last chance you have to fly._  
 _Do you like the ground? Want it to pass you by?_  
 _Man, you had it all when you were just a kid._  
 _Do you even remember who you were back then?_  
 _What do you want in life? Will you be twice as strong?_  
 _What would you sacrifice? What are you waiting on?_  
 _-Battle Scars,_ Paradise Fears

XIV

* * *

Sanji's mind goes blank. He can't think, he can't even breathe.

He knows Ace is screaming something along the lines of "I told you so!" and Luffy's asking who Roronoa Zoro is but all he can see is Zoro who is sitting there, just seeming too calm. How is he so calm while Sanji feels like he's having a heart attack?

"I'm going to see them," Zoro declares.

Sanji stares at him and opens his mouth in an attempt to speak, but even know he can't get the words out.

"Why would you go?" asks Luffy.

Ace glares at Zoro and gives Sanji a sympathetic look, as though Sanji is someone who has encountered misfortune and thus, is in serious need to pity, but he doesn't tell Luffy.

"I'll get going," Zoro says, standing up.

"But—"

"Let him go," says Ace.

Luffy frowns. "But I don't know what's going on!"

 _You can't go. You're still hurt. You're insane. You're walking into a trap, surely. You can't turn yourself in. You're innocent, aren't you? Don't you believe you're innocent? Tell me you're misunderstood, tell me they've got the wrong man, tell me … tell me you're not giving up. Not yet._

And yet no words come out. Instead, he watches hopelessly as Zoro gets up and leaves the room, leaving the door wide opening in his wake as he descends the stairs.

Sanji doesn't hesitate.

He runs right after him.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous! (OH MY GOD WE'RE AT 101!)_

 _lilcutieprincess : I'm pretty sure if I were in his position, I wouldn't have done what Sanji had done. Mainly cause I can't lift my leg so high I can actually smack someone in the side of the head ..._

 _Random Person: Yay for stupid decisions! _

_Tsukino Aisuru - A : I know this chapter sucks ... I AM SO SORRY!_

 _noir : Crappy questions deserve crappy answers._

 _crystalbluefox : Oh thank God, I seriously feel so much better!_

 _ThePoliceLlama : I suppose ..._

 _NaruHinaLuvr : And you want to kill me for this chapter ... Sorry._

 _: Yup ... That happened ..._


	15. Chapter 15

_**Author's Note:** I don't own **One Piece**. So I thought this chapter was one of the easier ones to write so yeah, it's longer than the others. Don't expect many chapters to be this long, I'm going to be away for the next 2 weeks so any reviews or e-mails you send me will be answered the two weeks later because I won't be with Internet while I'm gone. I really hope this chapter makes up for the last two and also, I've never written an action sequence in present tense so sorry if it's sloppy and weird ... Okay, I wasn't going to publish this yet, but I've decided I wanted to do it now. I'm going to be away until the 31st of December, don't expect a New Year's themed thing, I might try one though ... It might be for **Harry Potter** though ... I'm not sure if I can handle one for Zoro and Sanji, I don't know what I'm even talking about ... Anyway, review, please! I'm posting this literally in the middle of my exam week, so be grateful! Also I kind of treated Luffy like he's 6 in this chapter (he just reminds me too much of a little brother) so yeah, Zoro's treating him like a baby ..._

* * *

 ** _Speechless_**  
 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART ONE: BATTLE SCARS

 _On and on, like we're living on a broken record._  
 _Hope is strong, but misery's a little quicker._  
 _Sit, and we wait, and we drown there,_  
 _Thinking, "Why bother playing when it's unfair?"_  
 _They say life's a waste, I say they lack belief._  
 _They tell me luck will travel, I tell 'em that's why I've got feet._  
 _Left, right, left, right,_  
 _Moving along to the pulse of a heartbeat._  
 _This could be the last chance you have to fly._  
 _Do you like the ground? Want it to pass you by?_  
 _Man, you had it all when you were just a kid._  
 _Do you even remember who you were back then?_  
 _What do you want in life? Will you be twice as strong?_  
 _What would you sacrifice? What are you waiting on?_  
 _-Battle Scars,_ Paradise Fears

XV

* * *

It's not as though he isn't expecting the officers to be waiting at the foot of the stairs for him when he comes down. It's that he chose to ignore this inevitable fact until it was staring him in the face and now that it is, his plan to surrender suddenly flies from his mind and instead, he feels the urge to run back up the stairs. Away from prying eyes, away from the men with the guns and tasers. Away from the ones who want to hurt him, who'll put him back in that confining, small, inferior cell, the ones who'll tell him it was his fault, tell him that he did it, that he's the reason she's … He wants to go up the stairs to that annoying couch that leaves his back hurting, the TV that hums with slight static, despite the clear picture, the place that smells of cigarettes and freshly made food, the place with the strange stars on the ceiling that make no sense, the place where he'll sit him down without a word and hand him another plateful of his favourite food. He wants to run back up the stairs to safety, to haven, to … to _him_.

But he doesn't. He's been spotted. He has to stay.

"Roronoa," growls the officer with the two cigars hanging out of his mouth. It's as though he can't go anywhere without smelling the nicotine, but rather than the soft, easily breeze of the smoke, it feels as though it's invading his senses and forcing him to smell it. It isn't the bitter scent that wafts around the room, this smoke makes him dizzy and queasy, the way he used to think all cigarette brands made him feel, but he's been proven wrong in the last two days. His doesn't make him feel nearly this sick.

"Before you arrest me," Zoro says holding out his bare hands to signify he's unarmed. "I have a request."

"You're a criminal, criminals don't have requests other than their death-day will be postponed," sneers one of the officers who stands to the side. Zoro glares at him. He isn't a big shot, not like Smoker.

"I'll listen to your request," Smoker says. "But don't expect it granted."

"Fair enough. I want to go back upstairs for one moment. I just need to get something."

"And what would that be?" demands a thin man standing next to the officer Zoro glared at.

"My swords, if you must know," Zoro snaps.

Safety is upstairs, safety is in that room. No, he can't think of thoughts like that, thoughts like that mean attachment and the memory of the last time he got attached makes him shiver. It's not the room that's safe, it's the swords. It's the sense of security and protection he has when he's holding them in his hands. His hands feel empty (and they are) when they're not holding them. When they're not holding her.

"Officer Smoker," Zoro's eyes are drawn towards a girl and he pales. He remembers her. He doesn't like her. She's a reminder. "Pardon me if I'm stepping out of line, but I don't think it's wise for us to allow Roronoa to be armed."

Smoker turns to the girl. Zoro knows she isn't her, knows it with everything he has because that's impossible, but still, it gives him chills. He watches though, torturing himself, as the officer listens to her, thinks about her input. _Just what you wanted,_ he thinks. _Wish you could see this._

"I'll let you get your swords," says Smoker in a disbelieving tone. "So long as you come right back."

"Where else am I supposed to go?" Zoro snaps. "I don't want to jumping out a window, I'm not insane."

"Officer Smoker sir," says the girl. "I want to go with him, make sure he keeps his word."

Officer Smoker nods while Zoro panics inside. No, this can't be happening to him. He's honest, he'll go and get his swords and come right back, but no, he can't stand to be in the same room as her. It hurts. It hurts so much.

The next thing he knows, he's walking up the stairs with her by his side and she's silent and stoic and he can feel his heart ready to break his rib-cage as he nearly misses a step before opening the door. Ace and Luffy are still here, apparently in the middle of an argument.

"I still don't know what's going on, why won't you tell me?" Luffy demands just as Zoro opens the door.

"Choro!"

The girl is clearly confused at Luffy's words.

"Who's the girl?" asks the straw-hat. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"No," Zoro says. "I've got to get going. Where's Sanji?"

"Him? He left after you," Luffy says.

"I didn't see him."

"He probably took the elevator," Ace says. He glares at Zoro. "So are you doing the right thing?"

"Right thing?" Luffy asks. "Choro, what's going on?"

"I'm just here to pick something up," Zoro tells Luffy. "And then I need to go. Tell Sanji bye for me, okay?"

"You're not coming back?" asks Luffy.

"No, I'm not." Zoro can't bear to tell Luffy the truth. Though he knows Luffy's only a few years younger than him, he feels as though he's only eight or even younger and to say to an eight year old that you're a criminal who's escaped jail, charged with being a serial killer and you're never ever coming back, well, no one should have to hear that. Zoro frowns, thinking. What can he tell Luffy? "I'm going away to see someone, I've been putting it off for a while."

"You're going home?" asks Luffy.

Zoro remembers Sanji's story. That Zoro ran away from home because of a reason he was too embarrassed to speak about. "Yeah, I'm going home," he says. "I'll write you a letter, alright?"

"It's not like you're going to jail or anything," says Luffy with a laugh. _He likes being told things, he likes knowing he's in the loop, even if it's lies,_ Zoro thinks.

"Right," Zoro says with a smile that starts off fake but ends genuine. With Luffy looking at him with such wide eyes that seem so innocent, it's almost impossible to stop himself from smiling. "Not like jail or anything."

He then rushes to get his swords, strapping them around his waist.

When he comes back out, Luffy looks at him strangely. "Swords?"

"I … like to collect them," Zoro says, searching for an answer. He notices how she's quiet the entire time.

"Do you know how to use them?"

"Yeah," Zoro says. "I'll show you sometime, okay?"

"I'm not a kid," Luffy says, rolling his eyes.

"Sure you're not."

"I've had sex before, I'm not a kid," he repeats.

Zoro blocks his ears childishly. "I don't want to hear it! I'll be going now." He turns to Ace and leans closer, making sure Luffy can't hear him. "Take care of Sanji for me, would you?"

Ace is looking at Zoro with something that seems to hint towards grudging respect, but he can't be sure. "I was planning on that anyway," Ace says.

"Good."

The girl stops for a moment and speaks for the first time. "Do I know you?"

Ace looks at her and his eyes widen. "Um, no."

"No, I think I have, you have coffee with Officer—"

"Is it really important?" Zoro cuts her off, able to see the way Ace seems to be panicking from her words. "We'd better get downstairs."

She nods and they go down the stairs.

* * *

Zoro is expecting the officers. What he isn't expecting is the blond who's staring at him confused, asking him questions without words, his eyes piercing through him, making Zoro feel as though he can see his soul.

"Alright, let's get going," Zoro declares.

He holds out his wrists for the officers to cuff him and then in a few mere milliseconds, so many things happen at once.

The cold metal slams down harshly on his wrists and are locked into place the same moment he feels movement at his waist. He looks down and sees that the girl is trying to take his swords from him and so he tries to back away. He can't hit her. Not because she's a girl, but because she looks like her. She tries again, grabbing for Wado, but he avoids her again. Another officer tries to disarm him but he kicks him away.

It's obvious Sanji doesn't know what's happening, but he's watching, Zoro can feel the blond's eyes on him as he kicks at the men who are trying to take his treasures away from him. Trying to take her away from him.

The world seems to cave in, he can hear nothing but the beat of his heart as he kicks and dodges and then suddenly there's a pain at his side, stinging, feeling like a thousand bolts of lightning have been shot through his core and he feels himself go numb.

The white noise that he knows should be there is non-existent as he feels his eyes close. There is one noise that breaks through his silent dome.

A voice.

A word.

"Zoro!"

And Zoro just knows it's Sanji.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous!_

 _Random Person: Yeah, I'm taking my December exams (I think those are the same as finals? I don't know, we Canadians have different terms). I'm praying it went all right ... But I just took an English exam today and got a wonderful cute story from it called **Midnights** by Rainbow Rowell that I'll read like, 50 times over my break. It's adorable about this guy with a food allergy to tree nuts and the ending's hilarious and funny. If you can find it, read it, it'll take like, 10 minutes of your time. It made me smile._

 _lilcutieprincess: Yeah ... I know, I'm sorry! Hopefully you like this better!_

 _NaruHinaLuvr: He sort of did ... Kind of ..._

 _July's fantasies: Updated!_

 _Now for my question for this chapter: um, I know the fight scene sucked so I won't focus on that ... How about Sanji? What do you think of this moment? What do you think this means for Zoro and Sanji? And what about how Zoro treated Luffy? What do you think this says about his character?_

 _See you in 2 weeks!_


	16. Chapter 16

_**Author's Note:** So I've just gone away and came back from a 10 day cruise. I also happened to make a friend who loved **One Piece**. Had he asked me if I knew the anime a year ago, I sadly would've said no. He went to Tokyo Tower where there's apparently a whole floor dedicated to **One Piece** AND a restaurant based off of Sanji, with a statue of him and everything. He didn't buy anything at the time cause he didn't know what **One Piece** was. Boy did he hit himself after when that was over. I don't own **One Piece** and hopefully, this chapter is what you've been waiting for._

* * *

 _ **Speechless**  
By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers**

* * *

PART TWO: GOOD FIGHT

 _Even in the road blocks (yeah)  
Even through the rough spots  
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got  
I'm with you in the next step  
Giving you in the next breath  
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"  
When you're out there on your own  
You are never alone_

 _-Good Fight,_ Unspoken

XVI

* * *

The world's spinning, he doesn't know where to look, what to focus on but his eyes are forcing him to watch as they pull the slumped swordsman to his feet and drape one of his arms around their neck. He wants to scream, wants to shout at them to put the fucking bastard down and leave him alone, he's already limp, he already looks … already looks ….

"I know you," a voice says and suddenly Sanji's drawn back into the world. The white noise of buzzing that kept everything out is gone and now he can do nothing but hear the sounds of the hallway, eerily silent for something that has just happened. The man has two cigars in his mouth. He frowns. "Sanji, aren't you? Didn't you tell me you didn't know where he was? And last time I saw you, you couldn't speak."

Sanji's throat clams up. His throat hurts and he realizes that the person he vaguely heard screaming, that was him. It feels as though there are nails scratching at his esophagus, protesting against the words that were coming out of his mouth. He can feel the pain that shivers through him. He doesn't want to talk, that hasn't changed. So why did he?

There's the sound of footsteps running down the steps and then Ace and Luffy are standing there, Ace's eyes moving from the officer to Zoro's body. He glares at Smoker. "I thought you said you were just going to arrest him!"

"He resisted arrest," says Smoker.

Luffy stares at Zoro and then at Ace, then Sanji, then the officer. Slowly, everything seems to come into perspective for him. Sanji can see the moment the confusion leaves his eyes and realization dawns on him. Instead of saying anything, Luffy's mouth draws into a thin line and Sanji wonders what Luffy thinks of him, hiding a criminal . . .

Sanji turns to Ace, asking him a thousand questions. How did they know? Did you tell them? His face pales when he realizes that his friend may have betrayed him, but it pales even more when he realizes that Ace has every right.

"I didn't do it," Ace says quickly, as though reading Sanji's mind. "I didn't tell anyone."

"Look, as much fun as this has been, we need to get him back to the station—"

"No."

It comes out as a whisper. Out of the corner of Sanji's eye, he can see the girl approaching Zoro's body, reaching of this swords. Ace's eyes widen.

Smoker raises an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Sanji's throat's dry and it hurts and it pains him and he can see blood before his eyes, he feels himself shiver, wills himself not to speak, he can't. If he does, terrible things will happen. But at the moment, Sanji can't think of a more terrible thing that watching Zoro have his defences stolen from him.

"You can't," he hisses. His voice sounds strange to his own ears. He remembers he's been told before by his past girlfriends that his voice is warm and has a nice, slightly scratchy sound to it from the cigarettes. They tell him they like his low baritone and the way it seems to wrap them in warmth. Sanji hears his voice from his ears for the first time in three years and he can't help but disagree with them. He sounds like a dying man.

Smoker's eyes follow Sanji's and seem to understand what's happening. He makes a hand motion and the girl stares at him. "But Officer Smoker—" his hand signal silences her again. She steps away from Zoro and Sanji feels himself relax slightly.

"What's going to happen?" asks Luffy, finally speaking. He's filling in the last pieces, finishing the puzzle and Sanji can tell he doesn't like the picture he's uncovered.

"We're going to take him to jail, where he belongs,—"

"No." It's a whisper again. He wonders why this causes Smoker to stop. He knows his voice is feeble, that it sounds weak and unused. It isn't hard to ignore it, he wonders if Smoker can hear the raw need and desperation in his voice. He wonders if they know how pathetic he's being right now.

"You knew he was going to end up there anyway," says Ace and Sanji wants to scream at Ace that Ace doesn't understand. He doesn't understand because he hasn't ever met Zoro, hasn't ever gotten to know him the way Sanji has over the past few days, wants to say that Ace is just a jerk who doesn't know a broken person when he sees them, say that Ace didn't see Zoro lying there covered in blood, stumbling, limping, hungry, lost, confused. He doesn't care about Zoro the way Sanji does. He doesn't understand because he can't understand, not the way Sanji understands the feeling of being on the very brink of humanity, tittering on the edge, ready to fall over at any moment, waiting for someone to reach out to you, for even just a moment, to pull at your arm and tell you its just a dream and that even if its not a dream, they'll be there.

Because the support Sanji gets from Ace and Luffy and Nami is wonderful, he loves it, he enjoys that he can continue his life in a way that makes him feel less traumatized, in a way that makes him feel almost normal. He's grateful to Zeff, for letting him keep his job, for living. But no one can share the same pain with him as Zoro can. Because Zoro's seen it too.

Zoro's been there. He's felt the call of the darkness, luring you in, whispering suggestions that sound oh so sweet, so simple to comply to. He knows what it's like to stare down off the side of the metaphorical building, on the very edge of metaphorical existence, trying to keep quiet but begging that anyone can hear and you'll pretend you're not grateful for their outreach, you'll scream at them to throw you back in but you don't want them to, and when they push and pursue and finally bring you back up to the surface so you can breathe again, you need it. You need it every time you feel like you're sinking below the surface and it takes more and more the longer it goes on.

Zoro has him with his head just above water, barely breathing but he's surviving, not quite living yet, but Sanji's getting by. Sanji has meaning, he has a purpose now. He's keeping his head above water because he knows he's needed. But if Zoro goes … If Zoro goes, he'll be down where the bottom dwellers are and Sanji doesn't want the next time he sees him to be in a casket, or worse, with dead eyes and a monotonous voice.

"No," he whispers.

Ace looks conflicted, glancing between Zoro and Sanji. "Hey Officer," he says. "Can my friend see him?"

"Is your friend his spouse? Family member?" Smoker asks.

"You're being a dick," Ace snaps at Smoker. "You've got him already, why can't my friend—"

"Your friend is a liar," Smoker says. He nods to the woman. "Take him to the car—"

"No," Sanji whispers again.

"Let him keep his swords. For now."

The girl does not look pleased as she takes Zoro away.

"We're coming with," says Ace.

"No, you're not," says the police officer. Sanji just wants him to be quiet or move even so he can run out after the damn Marimo before the car gets out of his sight.

"You have to understand," says Ace. "He's ... He's really important to my friend and —"

"Ace, don't get me started."

Sanji doesn't even bother to wonder why on earth Smoker knows Ace by first name, especially considering how Ace mentioned how little he knew the man. "Please," says Sanji. He doesn't like talking, he's still scared, but to hell with it, he _needs_ to see Zoro.

Ace gives Smoker a pointed look.

Smoker shakes his head. "The captain won't be happy about this."

Ace smirks. "Since when do you care about what the captain has to say?"

Smoker grins back in a way that seems just a bit too familiar. "Good point."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2** : The thank-yous! (this is going in the opposite order I usually do it)_

 _lonewolf : You'll have to wait to see._

 _Ideop's : Yeah I just think Luffy's like, 7 in my head and that's why that happened ... I'm not sure, considering Zoro was basically on the edge of passing out when Sanji finally managed to speak ..._

 _French Reader: Don't worry, I don't plan on giving up on this story._

 _crystalbluefox : Yeah ... I strategically updated that chapter to leave everyone hanging and hopefully, they'd spam my e-mail with reviews and the like. I got 40 e-mails, in case you were wondering. I don't know why I like kidnappings in stories, it's weird, but yeah ... Now remember: Roronoa Zoro has never regretted anything he's ever done in his life._

 _(IT WON'T LET ME SHOW YOUR USERNAME!) BUBBLE.m: It's not exactly hating his voice, so much as it is he's scared to talk. It's his first word in 3 years and yeah ... I made Luffy and Zoro basically brothers ..._

 _Tsukino Aisuru - A : Yeah ..._

 _lilcutieprincess : Well, it's a Zoro and Sanji story, of course they'll be together, the question is just when is it going to happen?_

 _NaruHinaLuvr : That's my job, ins't it?_

 _Random Person : Yeah I had like, 7 exams. Well, 2 science, 2 math, an English, and a history. It's about 10 percent for first term, then 10 percent second term, and 30 the third term, but we're taking ministry exams at the end of the year to make up the rest of our grade._

 _So guys, did you miss me?_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Author's Note:** Since I wasn't here for 2 weeks, here are two chapters (the first one was chapter 16). I don't own **One Piece,** I don't know how jail works, I'm sorry I'm so horrible at being accurate! Also, my review section might be a bit weird cause I get e-mail notifications of them but they aren't actually appearing on the site ... It's strange._

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
** By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART TWO: GOOD FIGHT

 _Even in the road blocks (yeah)  
Even through the rough spots  
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got  
I'm with you in the next step  
Giving you in the next breath  
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"  
When you're out there on your own  
You are never alone_

 _-Good Fight,_ Unspoken

XVII

* * *

"At most, I can bend the rules for an hour," says Smoker.

Sanji doesn't care, he just wants to see Zoro again and if this is what it takes, he'll do it. Sixty minutes. Okay. How can he get the maximum amount of time with him with such a time limit? Sanji grabs a pen and paper and quickly scribbles down:

 _I want to take fifteen. Let me see him four times, fifteen minutes each._

Smoker frowns. Clearly, they're not sure whether anyone can divide their time.

Sanji doesn't want to have to see Zoro only once, he should never have to deal with that. Seeing Zoro just once makes Sanji think of it as a good-bye and though ultimately, there will always be a parting, he doesn't want it to come so soon. He'll shorten his time with Zoro, divide up his time as much as he can to see Zoro as often as he can. Five minutes is too short for him and ten is just enough to get conversation started, but he knows fifteen … Fifteen may be able to interrupt them in an important talk and then Zoro will want to talk to him and it won't only be Sanji who needs to hear his voice. Or maybe he's just deluding himself.

Ace glances at Smoker. "How did you guys find him?"

"He was spotted," says Smoker. "Outside some runt's house, some doctor of some sort."

Chopper. Because Sanji wanted Zoro healed, he had been caught. Sanji feels bad and wishes he had listened to Zoro when he said he didn't want to go to the hospital. And yet at the same time, he can't say he wants to change what happened. It's strange, isn't it?

Smoker leaves the room, probably to talk to someone about Sanji dividing his time. He turns to Ace in the mean time.

"You talked," says Ace in a voice that's still filled with wonder.

Sanji faces the ground, trying to ignore how stupid he feels. Three years. Three years without a word and now it's all over because of the stupid fucking Marimo. And yet he wouldn't change that for the world either. His throat feels weird, he's sure that his voice must be scratchy and disgusting, but he just wonders why on Earth that made him break.

Sanji has seen things in his three years of silence that makes many people wonder how he's remained silent and yet this broke him?

No, it isn't like that.

All those other times, he was scared. He felt as though the consequences of that night may repeat itself, as if opening his mouth would send the world into a dark, black world. And yet he has spoken earlier today. Because of Zoro.

Sanji's not sure why. His mouth opened and before he could stop it, sounds were coming from his lips. It was instinctual. It was almost like Sanji had wanted to talk. But Sanji's still scared, isn't he? He still cares about the world, he still thinks the world will be enveloped by a vortex of horrible, unspeakable things should he open his lips to utter a syllable. So why?

Sanji doesn't want to think too much about it, he'll probably get too wrapped up in his thoughts and never escape the vortex of his own emotions, whatever they may be.

Sanji just nods at Ace's comment and he's not stupid, he can see the firefighter is upset that Sanji has gone back to his silence.

Smoker returns and tells Sanji he can see Zoro four times, fifteen minutes each and guides him to the cell they're keeping him in for the moment.

Sanji's glad he doesn't have to uncover his emotions that he's sure will scare him the moment they come undone.

* * *

When Sanji enters the room, the first thing his eyes see is Zoro, laying on the floor with his hands behind his head. He's either counting the tiles in the ceiling or he's sleeping. Sanji gives the guard a nod of thanks before he approaches Zoro.

He sits down on the bench that the Marimo isn't occupying and wants to kick him gently with his leg, but he knows his own leg-power and doesn't want to dare to inflict damage on him.

Zoro's eye is so damaged, it's practically closed. He's staring at the ceiling with a single grey eye that holds a look that Sanji thinks looks a bit too dead. This is wrong. Roronoa Zoro is not a dead man walking, he's a living man who's just been legally dead for five minutes, about to revive back into the world. He has to be.

They stay like that in silence for some time. How long, Sanji doesn't know. And the silence is comfortable to his own surprise, he feels no need to break it using his feet or by drumming on the bench. But he wants to fill it. Fill it with conversation, which is strange since Sanji has never been a talker before, even before the incident.

It's a long time before Zoro speaks.

"They took her."

Sanji is silent. Zoro needs to get this off his chest clearly. Sanji doesn't ask who "her" is, even though he feels his stomach clench in a strange painful way that's different from the way it drops out when his recipe turns out sour and the ingredients don't mix well.

"They fucking took her," Zoro hisses. He's still staring at the ceiling, the bandages still on him. Luckily he hasn't undone any of them, they're still holding tightly. Who's going to take care of him while he's in jail? "The fucking bastards …"

Sanji stays silent.

"Fuck …" Zoro moves his hands from behind his head to his face, covering himself. "I'm so stupid …" He shakes his head and lets out a bitter laugh. "The last thing I have left of her … They fucking took it."

It takes Sanji a while to notice, but Zoro's crying. He's covering his face, but his body's trembling ever so slightly. If he isn't crying though, he's on the verge of it. "I fucking deserve it I suppose," he mutters under his breath. "Can't even protect her fucking memory, never mind her stuff …"

Sanji wants to ask him questions about who "she" is. A past girlfriend? His wife? Sanji wouldn't be surprised if Zoro had been married, people get married young these days and when Zoro's all cleaned up, he looks handsome. No, he still looks stunningly beautiful when he's covered in bruises and blood for some reason. It's probably the eyes. The eye. Sanji's sure he's falling into some dark pit, one he's left unexplored in all his years and though he can't name what's at the bottom, he has to admit that while the sensations he's feeling are confusing as fuck, he doesn't quite hate them.

He writes quickly and keeps his eyes trained on Zoro when he lifts up his notepad.

 _What are you going to do?_

Zoro sees it through his fingers and takes a deep breath. "Let it happen, I guess …"

Sanji does not like this answer. He doesn't like it at all.

In fact, he refuses to accept it.

But he won't press. Not right now.

He doesn't think Zoro could handle it.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous!_

 _ lilcutieprincess: So yeah ... Tada, update._

 _GPEG : Yup. I don't even know how this works, but Sanji's kinda choosing when he wants to speak and when he doesn't. Primarily, he doesn't want to talk though ..._

HollyWoodFix _: I'm glad you like it! Have you checked out my other story, Beautiful Disaster?_

 _Random Person : Yay! I have been missed!_

 _lonewolf: I hope I haven't done anything lethal to your heart if you're dying ..._

 _Question of the chapter: so ... Can YOU define that weird thing going on in Sanji's stomach?_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Author's Note:** The reason for Zoro's confusion in this chapter is that he doesn't distinctly remember Sanji speaking, or he thought he was hallucinating and dreaming. Just clearing that up. Yes, this is a sad, short chapter (not as in depressing, just ... yeah, it makes me depressed how short it it). This is my first attempt at this character, so don't kill me! Also, please review, I don't own **One Piece.**_

* * *

 ** _Speechless_**  
 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART TWO: GOOD FIGHT

 _Even in the road blocks (yeah)  
Even through the rough spots  
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got  
I'm with you in the next step  
Giving you in the next breath  
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"  
When you're out there on your own  
You are never alone_

 _-Good Fight,_ Unspoken

XVIII

* * *

Entering the jail again feels weird, but Sanji's glad he's divided up his time nicely. He watches as Zoro looks up at him when he hears him enter. Maybe Zoro's glad he's here? That would be nice.

"Hi," says Zoro in a soft voice.

Sanji wonders if Zoro's finally dug himself out of that hole of his and realized that the has to fight back. Probably not though, Sanji himself is still six feet under. He wonders though how someone as strong as Zoro has managed to fall so hard and so deeply into that horrible, empty pit of darkness. Seeing Zoro as he is now is just a reminder to Sanji. A reminder of the fallen.

"Two weeks."

Sanji stares at Zoro and frowns. _What is that supposed to mean?_

"The trial. It's in two weeks. They're charging me of arson, escaping government property and ..." Zoro takes a deep breath. "The murder of at least fifteen people."

Sanji stares at him.

Zoro shakes his head and sighs. He doesn't seem to have words for this either so Sanji stays quiet, wondering who on earth decided Zoro was a killer. He can't see why. Sure the man is tall and brutish and maybe he had muscles and piercings and carried three swords ... Okay fine, Sanji understands.

Sanji frowns. "Do ..." Sanji takes a deep breath, his whole body shuddering. It's not natural, it doesn't come to him easy. Zoro sits up almost immediately at the sound of Sanji's raspy voice. "Lawyer?" he manages.

Zoro stares at him. "You just ..." He gapes, obviously searching for words. "Sanji?"

Sanji nods slowly.

"You just spoke." Zoro seems absolutely flabbergasted. He scratches his head. "I thought I was hallucinating ... That really was you, wasn't it? Calling my name?"

Sanji nods and turns his head away, a blush surfacing on his cheeks. He tries to fight it back down, but it doesn't seem to be working.

"Talk to me," says Zoro. "If you want? I ... I want to hear your voice."

Sanji shakes his head. He writes on his notepad; _avoiding_.

Zoro frowns. "But.." He sighs. "Nico Robin," he finally says. "My lawyer's Nico Robin. Now, will you talk to me?"

Sanji doesn't say a word. He can see Zoro really wants to hear his voice but Sanji doesn't like it. He doesn't like it at all. Once with a smooth baritone, his voice has turned into something of disgust to him. He can't stand the sound of it and he's still scared. Every time he speaks, he knows if Ace pays close enough attention, he'll notice that Sanji's knees are hitting each other as he speaks. He doesn't like it. He doesn't like his voice. He doesn't want to talk and he doesn't like the way he sounds.

Zoro sighs. "You're fucking stubborn," he says.

They fall into silence.

Zoro breaks it.

"Why'd you do it?"

Sanji stares at him, confused.

"You're scared of talking, I know it, I can tell," Zoro says in a soft voice as though not to alarm Sanji. Zoro has a beautiful voice, nothing like the scratchy vowels that come from Sanji's lips. He can sit here and listen to the Marimo all day, but this lower tone does something to him. "So why? Why'd you talk?"

Sanji shrugs. He doesn't want to think too much about it.

A guard clears his throat and declares that Sanji has to be leaving. Sanji stands and exits the room, spotting a nicely dressed woman in a purple jacket standing at the door.

"What's your relation of the inmate?"

"I'm his lawyer," says the woman in a strong voice. She sounds cold.

This must be Nico Robin.

"You already know this is a hopeless case, don't you?" says the guard.

"I don't believe it's your job to tell me how to do my job," she says.

"But Roronoa Zoro—"

"Is my client and you're wasting my time, now move aside," she cuts him off.

She's cold, but she's strong.

Sanji feels as though Zoro's in good hands.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous!_

 _lonewolf : Yeah ... I've got my whole story worked out (okay, like, 3/4th of it worked out) and so I hope you like what I have planned, though I do like theorizing... Game theory! I'm too much of a nerd ..._

 _crystalbluefox : Happy new year to you too and I am SO happy you're still reading! Don't ask me why but I always get this inexplicable feeling that I'll lose readers if I'm not interesting enough and to have you especially still reading makes me beyond glad._

 _lilcutieprincess : So yeah, that's why Zoro didn't mention Sanji's voice._

 _Guest : Maybe it is, maybe it's not. YOU'LL NEVER KNOW! Till a new chapter comes at least._

 _Alright, question time: what do you find more attractive, a baritone voice (like Sanji tends to have, or Zoro in Japanese subs, and Sanji's (good) flirting voice in the Funimation english dub, a low voice, basically), or a slightly higher voice, like Todd Haberkon (I think that's what his last name is. Think Natsu from **Fairy Tail** )?_


	19. Chapter 19

_**Author's Note:** Okay so yeah, this chapter was ... I know Zoro's weird, I'M SORRY! Anyway, I'm working hard on this story and hopefully you won't kill me. Now I know this is far fetched, but do you think it's possible to get 20 reviews for this chapter? I know enough people read this to make it possible, so maybe? MAYBE?! I don't own **One Piece**. Please don't kill me, I'll see you guys in a week, I've decided to update early._

* * *

 ** _Speechless_**

 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART TWO: GOOD FIGHT

 _Even in the road blocks (yeah)  
Even through the rough spots  
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got  
I'm with you in the next step  
Giving you in the next breath  
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"  
When you're out there on your own  
You are never alone_

 _-Good Fight,_ Unspoken

XIX

* * *

It's unfathomable to Sanji that Zoro won't even try to fight back. He can't just lie down, Sanji knows it because he knows Zoro, or at least, he likes to think he does. Roronoa Zoro isn't the type of person to just let himself give in and not do anything when in reality, there are so many things he can do.

He sits down next to Zoro and lets his hands fold onto his lap carefully.

"Hello," he says softly. He's started speaking a little bit, small words, not real sentences, just starting to get the hang of it really again. He's still terrified, but he'll suck it up because of the look of surprise and joy on Zoro's face when he does mumble softly.

"Hi," says Zoro softly.

Sanji squirms where he's sitting, his notepad crushing underneath his weight in his pocket. He wants to ask questions, clearly there's something unnerving the man so that he doesn't seem eager to fight back but he's scared it'll cross the fragile line that their relationship balances on.

Sanji decides to ask instead about Zoro and his swords.

 _Where are they?_ He writes.

"Damn police took them, what do you think?" Zoro snaps, not even needing to ask what Sanji is referring to. He sighs and runs his hands over his face. "Goddammit, it's so ..."

Sanji stay silent still.

 _Are you going to fight back?_

Zoro sighs and shakes his head. "What can I do? They've taken everything from me, it only makes sense they take away my freedom."

For some reason, Sanji doesn't think Zoro is talking about the police. He gives him a confused look.

"Before I was tried, I wasn't exactly a murderous person, you know. But I did kill someone." Sanji wants to press, but he knows that this is something that Zoro has to take his own time in saying, has to decide when he wants to reveal it all. "I used to compete in kendo before the arrest, that was about six months ago."

Sanji doesn't really keep up with the media, so he supposed it makes sense that he doesn't know who Zoro is.

"Anyway, my girlfriend and I were coming back from a competition when we were attacked. By a gang. They wanted ... God this going to sound so stupid, but they wanted her sword. She was a swordsman too, really good at it, I could never beat her. She had a sword, a white katana named Wado Ichimonji."

Sanji knows that name. He says nothing though.

"The sword's actually a priceless antique, handed down in her family for generations. Its value is over a billion dollars and many people want it and they'll do anything to have it." Here, Zoro sucks in a deep breath. "They ..."

Sanji suddenly doesn't want to know. Leaving it a mystery may be better after all, he can see clearly that this is hurting the swordsman.

"They didn't listen to anything I said ..."

Sanji feels himself become cold. He can feel it, the atmosphere of that day. When the doors were pulled open harshly and all the customers had turned in surprise. The screams...

"They just wanted ..." Zoro shakes his head. "They don't value life at all."

 _"Say one word kid and the old man gets it!"_

Sanji's head hurts, he want to hear it, he can assume what is going to happen in Zoro's story, he can tell. He wants it to stop.

"They had a gun and ..." Zoro's shaking, almost in rhythm to Sanji's unsteady movements. "And they just ..." Zoro stares at his hands, Sanji notices them trembling, a dark look washing over Zoro's eyes. He's haunted.

"It ... It hurts to remember ..."

The pain, the blood, forever stained crimson on his hands, Sanji can feel his grip on reality loosening. He doesn't want to let go, he's sure he's just found the surface of the water, just figured out how to hold on—

"She's just ..."

As long as he can stay anchored, he can help, but these words, these memories, his throat hurts, his tongue burns, his vision becomes fuzzy. His hands reach out slowly, almost as if in a trance.

"Her body just ... Like stone ..."

Pale hands that haven't been properly warmed in years frame the tanned man's face. He flinches slightly at the cool touch, but Sanji doubts he knows what's happening. Tears are streaming down his cheeks, his body's shaking.

"They just ... Killed her."

And then Sanji's lips are on Zoro's because he can't bear to hear anymore and he doesn't want to see that tortured look in Zoro's eyes and even if it's only for a moment, it'll disappear and be gone and he won't have to think about it and oh God, is this what warmth feels like? Is this what human contact feels like? Is this what being alive is?

And then it's over and Zoro raises his head slightly to meet Sanji's eyes and Sanji realizes he's on the floor, kneeling, with Zoro's face in his hands, his lips gently bruised and everything falls into place.

"Fifteen minutes are up!" calls a guard and Sanji stands, unable to speak, unable to utter a word, but he knows he wants to stay longer, he wants to know what Zoro's thinking.

Did he feel it? Was he alive in that moment too?

But all the swordsman gives him is the same blank, dumbfounded expression, no hint at what lies on the inside, of what he's thinking.

Sanji just knows that despite the many things he's done in his life worth regretting, the many mistakes he's made, he knows that kissing Zoro isn't one of them.

He just hopes Zoro sees it the same way.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2** : The thank yous!_

 _Ashlielle : You mean _**_Beautiful Disaster_** _? I'm glad you want to try it out, but be warned, these two stories are pretty different from each other. I mean, I both Sanji is traumatized and Zoro's been through hard times, but they're development is different, there are more presence of others and it may be a bit ... I don't know. I don't want to tell you my story's bad, cause it's my story, but it's not for everyone. Just, make use you read the warnings. I like baritones, hearing Sanji and Zoro who both have different forms of a nice baritone, I love it._

 _ThePoliceLlama (x2) : Yes, love his voice in Japanese! He sounds so smooth sometimes! Fun fact: he's the voice actor of Johnny Depp when his movies are translate into Japanese. Sanji the pirate cook is also the drunk private Captain Jack Sparrow. And yeah, I think what I did was kind of cliche, but such is life._

 _lilcutieprincess : It was kinda a lot of time in silence so that fifteen minutes passed … Yeah, you're right, it was pretty short the time …._

 _Guest : Okay you're review was actually the first thing I read on my birthday so you made it a pretty good day for me, so thank you so much!_

 _Tamul-chan9090: I hope you're liking **Beautiful Disaster, i** t's like my child and I care for it very much. Wow that sounded creepy. Thank you so much for that comment, I like to try and keep characters very in character (since we love the characters the way they are and not as a warped version some people write them as). I was worried since it was an AU story (as most of my One Piece stories are) I wouldn't be able to keep them in character._

 _EmperialGem21: Thank you so much! I'm working pretty hard on making this good, so I hope you like where this story is planning on going._

 _lonewolf : And I can't say anything, for fear of spoling._

 _nero922: I DON'T LIKE SHORT CHAPTERS, this short chapters are killing me._

 _KleinXDgirl : Um, tada!_

 _GPEG : It's complicated, I'm working on it._

 _HollyWoodFix : So I hope you're liking my story **Beautiful Disaster!**_

 _NaruHinaLuvr(x2) : Yeah, I know, in the Funimation dub. And yeah, I put Robin in there._

 _Tsukino Aisuru - A : Yeah, I'm hoping I didn't screw her up…_

 _My question for you guys: What do you think Zoro's thinking?_

 _And just so you know, everyone seems to like a baritone, not that I can blame them..._


	20. Chapter 20

_**Author's Note** : A couple of things I should mention, Sanji's got a last name! Apparently, so I used it. I don't know Robin well enough to make this a good representation of her, so I'm sorry! She's not a bad person! I don't own **One Piece**. I did a tad of research to know about the whole court thing but anyway, don't expect anything I write to be accurate, I'm sorry I'm so bad at accuracy!_

* * *

 ** _Speechless_**

 _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART TWO: GOOD FIGHT

 _Even in the road blocks (yeah)  
Even through the rough spots  
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got  
I'm with you in the next step  
Giving you in the next breath  
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"  
When you're out there on your own  
You are never alone_

 _-Good Fight,_ Unspoken

XX

* * *

What. The. Fuck?

Zoro's not sure what he's supposed to think, all he does know is that his mind has gone to some other place that isn't Earth and he's trying desperately to get it back.

"Roronoa, focus!"

Zoro is brought out of his mind just barely by the sound of a hand slamming against the table across from him. Finally let out of his cell and he's forced to cooperate with some dark haired woman who seems to be cold as fuck, with a steely gaze that even he can admit is a bit frightening.

"Your trial is in a week from now," she says. What's her name again? Oh right, Robin. Nico Robin. "I need you to tell me where you were on the night of the fire."

"They're charging me for arson and escaping jail, right?" Zoro asks. "They've already decided I'm guilty, because of jailing before, don't you think they'll be a bit biased?"

"They may have decided you're guilty, but I haven't made my decision yet."

She says her words with such conviction, it almost pulls Zoro out the other planet his mind's on. Almost. Being randomly kissed does that to you, hard to focus on anything really.

"Tell me. What were you doing?"

Zoro doesn't want to talk to her. He doesn't like her. Maybe she means well, but she unnerves him and she seems unfeeling to him. He doesn't trust her. He doesn't trust anyone really. Well … maybe Sanji. But that's just a maybe.

He hasn't known Sanji long, he knows that. A week maybe? Maybe it's been two weeks? He can't really tell. For someone who came and entered his life so abruptly, it seems as though he's left just as quickly. But not quite at the same time, his few visits keep Zoro certain that the past few days haven't been a dream.

He doesn't want to tell her his secrets. What's it to her that he was picked off the streets by the cook? What does it matter to her that he hadn't had a proper meal in months before the blond found him? Why would she care that he and Sanji have their own special method of communication and Sanji doesn't pry too much and he just leaves Zoro feeling just a tiny bit happier, almost comparable to the way he felt around _her_.

"Talk to me Roronoa," says Nico. "I can't help you if you don't help yourself."

"Who says I want to be helped?"

Her eyes narrow. She fiddles with a pen in her hand for a moment before she lets her hands drop to the table. Zoro doesn't like it. It seems she has a new resolve. "That blond … He seems awfully fond of you."

Zoro turns his head away. "So what?"

"Nothing, just …" Nico trails off.

"Just what?" Zoro snaps.

"Don't you think he's playing with fire?" Nico asks.

Zoro says nothing.

"You're a convicted criminal after all. I did some research on him, Sanji Vinsmoke. A cook at that restaurant, the Baratie." _Don't do anything. Don't say anything._ "He has a pretty good reputation. Well, he did until a few years ago …"

Zoro doesn't say a thing. He can't. He doesn't like the way Nico talks about him, like she knows Sanji personally, when all she did was a little research. Does she know about his favourite brand of cigarettes? Does she know about his liking for spices? He doesn't like the way she talks about his past like she knows him. It's Sanji's job to tell him about his past, not hers.

"Do you know what happened to him? Did you read the articles?"

Zoro doesn't like it. He doesn't.

"Well Roronoa?"

 _Stop talking. Please._

"Did you know about what happened to his parents? To his mentor?"

 _Stopitstopitstopitstopit._

"I'll tell you what happened, I'm surprised you haven't heard about it—"

 _SLAM!_

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT, BITCH!"

Zoro breathes in heavily, his fists curled on the table, his eyes cast downwards. He can't stand it, can't stand knowing that she's just talking so casually about this, as though she were there when it happened. Zoro knows that Sanji's been through hell. He knows that he's had a bad life, or something horrible happened to him and so he doesn't speak a lot, hasn't spoken in a few years and that's all he needs to know. He doesn't want an explanation, especially not one from this woman.

Nico frowns. "I can see you care about the cook."

Zoro grunts. "So what?"

"I just thought you should know that I wasn't going to tell you his story. That's something for him to let you know in his own time," says Nico. "But if he tells you or not, that doesn't matter. What matters is that they're going to make him testify."

Zoro stares ta her. "What?"

"He's considered a witness," says Nico in a calm voice that irritates him right to his core. "And they're going to make him testify against you. If I don't know your story, or if you're story doesn't match up with his, there'll be nothing I can do."

"I thought you said you haven't decided if you wanted to defend me."

Nico Robin bites on the tip of her pen. "I've made up my mind."

Zoro stares at her. He can see it, the playful look in her eyes as she analyzes him. She's determined. Perhaps Zoro can warm up to her. But wait—

"But Sanji won't want to testify."

"They're going to force him."

"Can they really do that?"

"There are few cases in which someone isn't eligible to testify. Some of those cases are being that they are married to the defendant, or are not mentally fit to testify to the court. Seeing as Sanji fits neither of these criteria, yes, theoretically, they can force him to testify."

"But … but that's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair, Roronoa Zoro." Nico sets her gaze on him with a fierce look in her eyes. "I have seen injustice be played out before and I do not enjoy it, I am not a spectator to the injustices of the world, I'm the one who will stand up and try to prevent them, so help me God, Roronoa Zoro, if you do not plan on cooperating with me, you can expect your cook to suffer for it."

 _Force him? They're going to force him?_

Zoro falls into his chair silently and Nico Robin gives him a knowing look. "I'm not your enemy Roronoa," she says. "So how about you tell me where you were the night of the arson?"

Zoro answers her questions without a fight this time, but he can't help thinking of her words.

 _Your cook._

Possessive pronouns have never sounded more fascinating.

* * *

 _Author's Note #2: So I didn't hit the 20 I wanted, but whatever, I did get a lot of reviews._

 _Ashlielle : I'm really glad you're liking **Beautiful Disaster,** I'm also really happy that you think of it that way. I try my hardest to try and make my readers feel emotions and I think the easiest one to make someone feel is laughter, so I'm working pretty hard to depress you all. That came out wrong ... Uh, you get what I mean, don't you?_

 _Tsukino Aisuru - A: Are you uh ... Okay?_

 _HollyWoodFix : Yeah, I'm also really glad you finished **Beautiful Disaster,** I'll be sending you a PM soon to respond to your review for it. I know this story doesn't have as much development as **Beautiful Disaste** r, but I still like it all the same. Even if it makes me bend over backwards, trying to get things somewhat accurate._

 _crystalbluefox : Well, I'm glad you got that off your chest and I hope you like this chapter. I've answered your review in a PM._

 _Tamul-chan9090 : Yeah, I always wanted to do a sudden kiss-scene like that._

 _lilcutieprincess : TADA! I'm sorry it took so long for the chapter!_

 _lonewolf : Um ... Is that a good thing?_

 _ThePoliceLlama : Well I suppose this doesn't exactly answer that question but ... I tried._

 _Nara Kimidare (x7) : First of all, yes, I do enjoy reviews even if they're after the chapters been posted. I didn't know that about Choro, I just chose it cause it was from a dj (fan-made manga, don't ask me to spell it). I always thought he had dyslexia, it was a theory of mine that I decided to use. I hope you don't hate Robin ..._

 ** _Okay my question for the chapter: how do you think court will go down?_**


	21. Chapter 21

_**Author's Not** e: Alright before you kill me, this story is going on haitus. I have a poll on my profile, please don't kill me. I don't own **One Piece, t** his is an inaccurate representation of law and the prosecutor is a certain someone who I will give happiness points to if you can tell me who he is. I will be focusing on **Escort Me.**_

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
** By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART TWO: GOOD FIGHT

 _Even in the road blocks (yeah)  
Even through the rough spots  
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got  
I'm with you in the next step  
Giving you in the next breath  
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"  
When you're out there on your own  
You are never alone_

 _-Good Fight,_ Unspoken

XXI

* * *

 _Stop looking at me. Stop it. I'm not a freak. I'm not crazy._

The courtroom is full of people and none of them look all that nice in his opinion. Standing in front of everyone makes him feel anxious and he doesn't like it. The notebook in his hand is held tightly and his knuckles turn white. He breathes in deeply and lets out a shaky breath.

"Name," says the prosecution.

Sanji doesn't like the prosecution, it's a man with grey hair and a frilly shirt on and he just looks menacing really. His opening statement rings in his ears.

 _"I am here to prove what is already known: that Roronoa Zoro is guilty of arson."_

The conviction he spoke with unnerves Sanji.

Sanji writes slowly on his notepad, his hand trembling. He holds it up for the prosecution to see and he frowns. "Talk to me," says the prosecution, his steely eyes nothing close to as welcoming as Zoro's. "The judge needs to hear you."

"S-Sanji V-V..." His throat won't work, his voice box is unplugged, his chords are out of tune, his lips are chapped, his neck is itchy, his tongue is inflated, his heart is going to break out of his rib cage, Sanji doesn't have words to describe the fear that's going through him.

"Talk, dammit!" screams the judge.

"Sanji," he spits out. There's a tremor to his voice, it does not go unnoticed by the others. "Vin... Vinsmoke."

His eyes flicker across the room, he can see Zoro sitting in the defendant's chair, a stern scowl on his face. His brows are creased and he has handcuffs on him. They've declared him a threat to the members of the court.

"Occupation?"

"C-cook," he stutters. He doesn't like talking, doesn't like the eyes on him, but if this is going to help Zoro, he's willing to do it. "At the ... At the Baratie."

The judge nods, though he still seems upset that Sanji is still being so quiet. They hand him a microphone but Sanji pushes it away. He doesn't want it, doesn't want to hear his voice.

They sigh and resign themselves.

"You may now testify. What is your relation with the defendant?"

"I ..." Sanji feels his body shudder and he's sure the entire courtroom can hear his heart. "He ... He was ... Hungry," he forces out.

Something in Zoro's features soften at Sanji's words.

"Excuse me?" asks the judge. "You're telling me the defendant was hungry?"

"Y-yes," says Sanji. His voice seems to be getting softer and softer.

"He was hungry?" repeats the judge flabbergasted. He shakes his head in disgust. "What is that supposed to mean? There are starving children in Africa, does that mean you have a relation to them too?"

"He ... He was hungry," says Sanji once more, fiddling with his hands. He is not permitted to smoke inside the courthouse and he's itching for a cigarette. "And ..." His voice lowers even more.

"The court demands the witness speak louder," says the judge.

"Scars," Sanji chokes out in a quiet voice. "Battle scars..."

"Battle scars?" repeats the judge. "Do you know how he got those scars? He got them by murdering, by slaughtering innocent people!"

"Innocent."

The judge raises an eyebrow at Sanji. "What did you just say?"

"Innocent," Sanji repeats and he just knows that he's mumbling.

"Speak up!" screams someone from the audience.

Sanji fiddles with the button on his blazer. He clears his throat, trying to speak louder, but it feels rough, his throat's uncomfortable. "He's ..." he began again. "There's no ... definite proof, Z-Zoro's in —"

"Are you retarded?"

"Why does he sound like shit?"

"What's with his eyebrows?"

"SHUT UP!"

It's so sudden, no one sees it. One moment Zoro is sitting in bleachers, waiting for Sanji to finish his testimony, the next he's jumped over the stand and he's gripping Sanji's arm with a gentle grasp that seems impossible given his callused fingers. "Can't you see it hurts him to talk about it?" he demands. "Are you really going to torture him?"

"Just because you're out of jail now Roronoa, doesn't mean we won't hesitate to send you right back," the judge sys, glaring at him. "Step away from the witness."

"You're hurting him!" Zoro protests.

Everything else becomes white noise. Sanji knows he wasn't ready for this, but if he can do this right, maybe this time it'll go right. If he can give a good testimony, then maybe he won't have to see such horrible things again. Maybe he won't have to think about the one roaming around, the one roaming who should be behind bars.

He can feel Zoro holding him tightly to his chest and he can hear the gallery shouting, complaining. It sounds like a buzzing in his ears, driving him absolutely mad. He can't stand it. He raises his hands to his ears and blocks them. He leans closer to Zoro's warmth and tries to block everyone out but it isn't working. It isn't working and it hurts and he can't and someone's going to die and—

"ORDER! ORDER IN THE COURT!" The gavel slams down harshly and Sanji flinches with each bang it makes on the desk, sinking into Zoro even more.

"The court will now break for a fifteen minute recess for the prosecution to gather their wits. And can someone stop that boy from shaking? He's freaking me out!"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank yous!_

 _Tamul-chan9090 : Yeah so this is how it happened..._  
 _ThePoliceLlama : Sorry there was no Robin here. She will be there in the future._

 _Guest : I don't know anything about Impel Doom, so I don't really want to write about something I know nothing about, except for law._

 _Tsukino Aisuru - A : Yeah ..._

 _lilcutieprincess : I checked, it's his official last name, not Vinsmock. It's Vinsmoke._

 _Ashlielle : Don't worry, you are not alone, I am so far behind as well._

 _EmperialGem21 : Yup ... Working on it._

 _NaruHinaLuvr : Yup... It's just convenient that I found out he had a last name when I did._

 _HollyWoodFix : Thank you so much! I'm working pretty hard on getting her in character._

 _Alright question time: how badly did that go? Rate it on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worse._


	22. Chapter 22

_**Author's Note #1** : This is going to be a long chapter and it's not because of content. Sorry. This is actually the shortest chapter ever. And I know you guys have been waiting since January for it. I have finished the **Speechless** (every single chapter is planned, unlike back in January) and I will be updating it weekly until it's done. The chapters are short, as you've figured out. I had to reread it because I almost forgot everything about it. I don't own **One Piece.** Also, if you didn't know, I was in Washington. As a lover of books, may I say the Library of Congress is AMAZING? And the architecture, it was breathtaking. Please don't be mad at me, I know it's short. I will also be thanking everyone who has followed/favorited up until this point (and will thank you all again when the story is finished)._

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
**_ _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART TWO: GOOD FIGHT

 _Even in the road blocks (yeah)  
Even through the rough spots  
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got  
I'm with you in the next step  
Giving you in the next breath  
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"  
When you're out there on your own  
You are never alone_

 _-Good Fight,_ Unspoken

* * *

XXII

* * *

Sanji is trembling. He knows he is.

Stand up, be stronger, Zoro needs you to be strong right now.

Because really everything just boils down to this, boils down to whether or not Zoro will end up in jail, whether or not he's able to go back to his normal life (though what is a normal life after everything he's endured?). Part of Sanji wants to say that this trial is going to determine something else. Whether or not Zoro's coming back to him.

"Sanji!"

Sanji jumps and turns to see Zoro staring at him. He's got his arms crossed, looking pissed. Is he still upset about the judge? Sanji's used to it now, it's something he's been forced to adapt to. Deciding to be silent is something that you do not get treated kindly for.

"I-It's o—"

"It's not okay," says Zoro sharply. "But I don't want to talk about the case right now."

"You only have a few minutes before court reconvenes," says his lawyer, that woman with the purple outfit. She's staring at her watch concerned, and Sanji is sorry he's causing her to worry. He does nothing but cause trouble.

"I need to talk to you."

Sanji waits.

"About … about that kiss."

Sanji looks at the lawyer, who doesn't seem to be paying them any attention. He supposes he can't have much privacy if he's standing in a defendant's lobby during a recess. Sanji shakes his head.

"No, don't do that to me," says Zoro. "I want …" Zoro goes silent for a moment, searching for words. "I want you to explain it to me. I want you to tell me … I want— no, I _need_ , I _need_ you to tell me why you did it. I need to know … to know if you felt it."

Sanji's eyes widen. Is he talking about what he's thinking he's talking about?

Because Sanji can try and tell you how he felt it, what he felt, and it'll come out as a jumble of mixed words that don't make much sense, but it would go something along the lines of "my mind went blank and it was too short and then I forgot my name and I felt like I was on fire and burning and breathing was hard but I wanted to drown". Not very coherent, but if Zoro's telling him he felt it too, he'll say whatever the fuck he needs to.

"What did it mean?"

And that's where Sanji draws a blank because he can't think and he doesn't know what it means. He can't figure that out. He needs someone to tell him because he's never done it before and it makes him wonder if it means the same thing as it does when you kiss a woman because if it is, no matter how confusing, Sanji wants it. He wants it with Zoro.

"I—"

"Time's up, we've gotta get back in the court."

Sanji doesn't miss the look on Zoro's face as he's escorted back into the courtroom.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous! (There's a lot, it's 2 and a half pages worth of reviews)._

 _HollyWoodFix : Well the hiatus is over! And I've been thinking a lot about that sequel. Gotta finish a couple other stories and a non-released story first before I even think about getting on it, but thank you, lots of people want one now._

 _Ashlielle : Yeah ... It's been a while. Remember me? Remember this plot even? I didn't, had to reread the entire story. WHY DID I POST IT WITH SO MANY MISTAKES? I can't write on my iPad anymore. Ever._

 _KleinXDgirl : Thank you, the story is short, if you want a longer one, **Beautiful Disaster** is finished and long. **Sink or Swim** has long chapters (it's only 5 chapters, I'm working on chapter 4) and **if my heart was a house** promises to be RIDICULOUSLY long, if you have patience with the idiots._

 _Guest #1: Yeah ... Don't know why he turned out so cruel._

 _Miss Meep : Yeah. I don't know too much about court (only Japanese video games) so, sorry about that._

 _GPEG : We'll get there. Soon. I promise._

 _ThePoliceLlama : Yup. I made the court assholes. Because I literally make everyone who is against them assholes who can't seem to be redeemed._

 _Portgas D. Ava : I can't. Your name made me cry. I am not okay, I am a more educated **One Piece** watcher and now that I've seen it ... I can never go back. Part of me wants to watch Water 7 again (it was AMAZING) but at the same time, same way I can't watch the Going Merry funeral, I cannot watch Ace._

 _lilcutieprincess : Yeah, sorry about the long hiatus. And how I couldn't even spell the word back in January._

 _tenshuni : You're welcome, and now **Speechless** will be more consistent._

 _Guest #2 : Really? I still don't believe that when people tell me they've finished **Beautiful Disaster** in one day, it is a MONSTER to edit and I'm still doing it cause I keep getting distracted. It was gone for long. What's your username? I owe you a personal PM for your review/fact that you read that beast._

 _crystalbluefox : YAY! SENPAI, I LOVE YOU. (coughs into hand with embarrassment, all professional now) WHAT?! NOOO! (and professionalism is gone, as usual). I can't stand sad fics like that, I can only read stories that make me cry with happiness when the idiots finally get it together! Only 9.999? Should I just round to 10? If you even remember writing this review? Cause I admit, it was a LONG time ago._

 _ranchan-akari: Sorry, I read your username and thought of Mouri Ran and how Shinichi said "Ran" and then she ran. Sorry if you have no idea what I'm talking about. That's a question I will answer later._

 _Guest #3: Sorry it took so long._

 _Shadow Lily Potter: I don't doubt you haven't read this in months, if you remember it._

 _Nara Kimidare (x2) : Yup. That's Sanji. At least, my version of Sanji. God I make myself envious of Zoro and Sanji so much. WHY CAN'T THEY BE REAL?!_

 _Saemoon : Yeah ... I made them bastards. Because anyone who doesn't ship Zoro and Sanji deserves to die. (Kidding. Not really.)_

 _villagernumber40 : Was watching **Haikyuūu** and the episode I just watched was called **"Town Person B"** so yeah ... Thinking about that. Thank you!_

 _ShitCook : Yeah. Everyone's an asshole._

 _Guest #4: I've updated now, sorry it took forever._

 _Syl : Arson is when someone purposefully sets fire to a building. And I have continued! If you remember the story at all._

 _betsybugaboo : Yeah ... There's a dojinshi on it and I wanted to read it but it was in Japanese. Dammit. Just another reason for me to doubly my efforts to properly learn Japanese._

 _Kat (x3): Yeah, so ... I'm updating now._

 _Guest #5: I love Sanji any way I make him. Wow that sounded weird. We'll just have to see what happens._

 _Maritere125 : I am updating now! TADA!_

 _Tamul-chan9090: Yeah, I love cute relationships._

 _Megenehason ZOSAN-LAWLU LOVER (x4): So it's safe to say I have a new fan? I wrote that first chapter on my way to school while bored. Good use of spare time, huh? I always like to leave an impact with the last sentence of a chapter and I was thinking about **Dexter** , so yeah, serial killer Zoro. I blame the earrings. I was really nervous about my characterization of Robin since I had never done her before. She wasn't in **Beautiful Disaster** either. Have you read that? So yeah ... first appearance in fanfiction and I wanted to do her justice. Hopefully I did it right._

 _Now the thank-yous for:_

 _ **Favoriting:** 1eyedowl, 420BLAZINGITUP, Aj the human, Annabeth2011, AoiStrawberry, Ashlielle, Aura Law, Azurai Wolf, BlackWingedDemon, Blackdraumdancer, BringOnTheChaos95, BubbleToMyTea, Captain Hiei, CiCi125, Cottonpaw, CrossoverLover2013, Cyanoccus, DarkerThanBlack1209, DeathlyRanger, Demon Kai13, Diaclover269, EmperialGem21, Fhia, GPEG, HeavenHellanime, HollyWoodFix, IAmTheTaintedAngel, ICherishMyFangirlism, JeamesDeanMyQueen, Jenjenjojo1012, JustCallMeLucie, KAGUYA-hime0706, Kakashi's Library, Kathi1225, Keera12, KleinXDgirl, LadyZiggyStardust, Legolas. ., LightTheDarkness14, Lynaru-chan, Magic126, Marshmallow Pirate, MarvelousWonders, Megenehason ZOSAN-LAWLU LOVER, Mikey-san, Mizohu, Moony the Mature One, MopingBlues, Move-2-da-beat-femme, Mrs. Meanie, MysticWaterWolf, Nara Kimidare, NaruHinaLuvr13, Nike Scarlet, Nilzkin00, Ninjdragon, OnePieceDoesExist, , Pii, Pineapples, RedWolf Lover, RidiculousJabbi, RoxanneTaylor, RyuuTsukiko, ScarletDragonClaw, Shadowsanji, ShitCook, Shizuka Taiyou, Skywillow, Son Kumkio, Starawesomeness2, SunnyDe, Sylvia Muller, Tamul-chan9090, ThePoliceLlama, Tohveli, Vienna09, Wintr, Yunalecia, animelovertillend, babygirl2224, blueexorcistfansince2012, bronze andromeda shun, .m, crazycocoa00, crystalbluefox, dominygringa, eyes0nme19, fanfiction lover 228, humgranola, , jojich, , kurodaddy, leoqueen27, loverwolf, lupcy, mewsugarpudd, nekonesan, razephyr, rudesventure, sanaja, siberianRS, spectris123, tuckwoo, villagernumber40, xX Zeode Xx, xxsoniaxx, yukichama, zabani-chan (sorry if the site won't let me write your name)_

 _ **Following** (before this, let me just tell you there are 192 of you, more than there were for **Beautiful Disaster,** and secondly, I am sorry you're all getting a notification e-mail so late!):  0-Serendipity-0, 1eyedowel, , 420BLAZINGITUP, 666nyancat, 02181014, ArieDLokie, Aj the human, Alanna Darkfeather, .11, Angyield, Annabelle Swift, Annabeth2011, Anri-chan, AruRmx, Ashielle, Aura Law, Azurai Wolf, B.A Victoria, Blackdraumdancer, Bokmal14, BubbleToMyTea, Captain Hiei, CaptainNapkin, CecileGB, Chaneta, CiCi125, Cottonpaw, CrAzY'pOtTeR'fAn, Cvrious, Cyanococcus, Daisuke Kazamatsuri, DeathlyRanger, Demon Kai13, Destiny Aitsuji, Daiclover269, DraconisLily, Dragon6125, Dyloa, EmperialGem21, Feares Solen, Fedski, Fhia, Gumbyfair, HeavenHellanime, HollyWoodFix, IAmTheTaintedAngel, ICherishMyFangirlisn, INCUBUS3, Imsotiredxc, July's fantasies, KAGUYA-hime0706, Kakashi's Library, KappasRule, Kathi1225, Keera12, Keitsu Han'ei, Lady Histoire, LadyZiggyStardust, Leannamiko, Legolas. , LettersLover, LightTheDarkness14, LiMizFuNsiZe, Lithium012, Lorelei95, LorieLreader, Lynaru-Chan, Magic126, Maritere125, Megenhason ZOSAN-LAWLU LOVER, Michi-chi, Michikuni Mayu, Miss Meep, Mizohu, Moping Blues, Move-2-da-beat-femme, , MysticWaterWolf, Nara Kimidare, NaruHinaLuvr13, NinaRose475, Ninjdragon, Non-Original Name, NotExactReflection, Oktoberskies101, OnePieceDoesExist, Picu, Pineapples, Plume-now, Rabid Mite, RedWolf Lover, Rejah, Ringochan94, RyuuTsukiko, Sadekuuro, Saemoon, Shadow Lily Potter, Shadowsanji, Shastakine, Sherry-ShikaLover, ShitCook, Shizuka Taiyou, Son Kumkio, Soul Kagome, Spad3z, SpiritMusician, Subaru's dreams, SunnyDe, SwordsgirlJackie, TKS-bishies, Takrno, Tamul-chan9090, Tatsuki74, ThatOneUndertakerFan, ThePoliceLlama, Tohveli, Unicornbaby5, VeryFineAutumn4869, We Can Be ExtradinHARRY, WritingLoser, Yunalecia, Zrsj, aadamoo, abidaisy, alts92, animelovertillend, aninonymm, arunmryuu, bakayaro onna, bakeum44, bed of nails and sandpaper, betsybugaboo, black. , bloodyredfox, blossomerry, blueexorcistfansince2012, bronze andromeda shun, .m, ceeeeeeeec, .e.27, chibi oruichi, clementyneoh9, dominygringa, dyingmockingbird, ema670, fullbleach, .12, hourhercrevan, humgranola, indescribable music, , jojich, k-chii, , kitty-cat-666, kuollut98, kurodaddy, leon-andrew, lilcutieprincess, lovewolf, lunafly123, lupcy, minichampi, misha-usa, moonrise heart, moonsmile931, nekonesan, nero922, ninjalena, ougley, ranchan-akari, razephyr, roaer, rydesventure, sanzaya, shadows in the fire, shikanta17, siberianRS, silverfox45, slo19969, sweetkakes35, theLoveablyLovelyNinja, tomari, tuckwoo, villagernumber40, xXKaidaXx, xX Zeode Xx, yukiichama, zabani-chan, zymiko_

 _I really am sorry it took so long, but I honestly appreciate everyone who's read this story. Sorry if you've gotta re-read it to remember. The next chapter comes next week. I swear, I'll try to make it longer. I hope you're all still with me._

 _Question for this chapter: Miss me?_


	23. Chapter 23

_**Author's Note #1:** So hello, good to be back, once again. But by GOD is school stressful. With labour day I had a shortened week and it felt like eternity. Anyway I don't own **One Piece**. Funny thing, I've been doing everything (watching shows, reading fanfiction, writing stories, playing video games, doing homework, going to school) except watching **One Piece.** Gotta get through Tennant, he's killing me ... WHY DOES HE HAVE TO REGENERATE? Sorry, that was a bit of a **Doctor Who** rant. Moving on. The story._

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
**_ _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART TWO: GOOD FIGHT

 _Even in the road blocks (yeah)  
Even through the rough spots  
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got  
I'm with you in the next step  
Giving you in the next breath  
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"  
When you're out there on your own  
You are never alone_

 _-Good Fight,_ Unspoken

* * *

XXIII

* * *

There's a new witness on the stand and Sanji realizes it's that girl who works for the officer with the two cigars.

"Witness, state your name and occupation."

"Tashigi, I work for Captain Smoker."

Sanji's fidgeting, he knows he is, but he doesn't want to show it. The judge still unnerves him and he doesn't feel like he can breathe and it's not nice and it's unpleasant and Zoro's sitting so far away from him in comparison and he'd feel much better if they were just a bit closer and—

"On the night of arson,—"

"This isn't about arson, this is about a criminal escaping jail—"

"But the arson pertains to Mr. Portgas," says Tashigi and Sanji can see Zoro's squirming too, looking highly uncomfortable. "Mr. Portgas is a friend of Mr. Vinsmoke's, thus Mr. Vinsmoke is involved in Roronoa's escape. Besides, we found Roronoa in Vinsmoke's apartment—"

"That means nothing," says Nico Robin. "This is pure conjecture—"

"The defence looks highly uneasy, Your Honour," says Tashigi. "Are you sure it's not because he's guilty?"

"Defendant, care to comment on this?" asks the judge.

"Your … your face …"

"My face?" repeats Tashigi, sounding dumbfounded, not that Sanji can really blame her. Zoro's not making any sense.

"Get a new face!"

"What?!"

"Is the defendant threatening the witness?" demands the judge loudly, looking ready to smack down his gavel just because Zoro's gotten a bit unnerved. The trust Sanji has in the court system (which isn't much because of the way they treated his case) is not rising in the least.

"Your face … is unnerving!"

"I was born with this face, you insolent little—"

"Roronoa you will cease pestering the witness—"

"She looks weird!"

"I take offence to that!"

Sanji's head hurts and he can't think straight. Insults are being thrown left and right, the judge and prosecutor are not acting very diplomatic, nor are they acting very professional and all he can see is the way Zoro's turning red in the face and he just wants everyone to be quiet and shut up and there's too much noise, someone's going to die.

Someone's going to die and it's going to be his fault and his lips open in a silent scream and then he falls and is surrounded by darkness.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** You know the drill. And you should know by now **Speechless** has really frigging short chapters. But I am happy, **Ten Count** (a manga I ADORE WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE BECAUSE I CAN RELATE and also something I considering doing for Zoro and Sanji, when I get around to it) has it's 5th volume out, FINALLY! Moving on._

 _sweetkakes35 : Yeah, it's been about 8 months._

 _lilcutieprincess : Tada, weekly updates!_

 _Blackdraumdancer : I'm glad you like it. The story actually doesn't have much to offer anymore, got about ... 8 more chapters? Something like that. And the rating was kind of stupid, so I changed it when I realized nothing too serious was going to happen._

 _Ashlielle : The amount of times I hit my head against a keyboard and wonder why the hell I publish and where the hell did the plot come from and does it have a plot and why are they acting like idiots and why, why WHY?! But anyway, yeah, I totally get it._

 _lost green tiger: I just had a really funny image in my head of someone being slapped by an eel ..._

 _Miss Meep - A: Yeah ... **Speechless** does have really short chapters. For some reasons, that makes it even more stressful. I hate short chapters cause if the author is good, I want more, like, TONS more. So **Beautiful Disaster** is usually the type of stories I write (I had a policy that no chapter could be below 4 thousand words after chapter 13, which is why it's so frigging huge. **if my heart was a house** will be like, 10 times **Beautiful Disaster's** size though ...)_

 _Megenehason ZOSAN-LAWLU LOVER (x2): Well yeah ... Isn't that what **One Piece** is all about? Question authority when they question you and your motivations/dreams? Question society, wonder why you're being put down, decide whether or not their words mean a single thing. What I love is how deep **One Piece** 's underlying message is, and how it just keeps making them, characters representing so many things. I think I hang out with my English teacher too much that I think everyone is an allegory. Like, Nami is an example of those who aren't so much greedy as they are needing to feel secure, needing to know what it's like to lose everything and try to get it back, but having to submit (Argon's pirates). Sanji is symbolic (in my mind) for those who chase dreams no one thinks can come true, no one thinks are even existent really (since the All Blue is a legend, not an actual fact) and how you still have to chase it, even if it may not even exist, you have to do it with all your passion. Zoro to me is a representation of honour, of doing things for honour, about how working hard can help you achieve things and how having others around him help boost his abilities with something to protect. Usopp is what everyone is, someone who is terrified but doesn't want you to think it so he'll act and pretend it's okay but really it's not, but he's more man enough to admit when he runs away. Furthermore I also think he's the part of everyone who will learn slowly that he doesn't have to run and to use his own abilities instead of envying what others can do. Just to name a few. God I got deep._

 _Moving on. Why do you think Zoro's freaking out?_


	24. Chapter 24

_**Author's Note #1:** So HEY! Uh so school's started ... God, school loads are hard and annoying. Anyway I don't own **One Piece**. Got Pintrest recently, (I don't think that's how you spell it) and have just been looking through prompts, all of which are highly fascinating. And **Haikyūu** stuff. Because yeah ... Almost went hey hey hey, for Bokuto. Moving on, hope you enjoy. It's the longest chapter since the haitus!_

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
**_ _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART TWO: GOOD FIGHT

 _Even in the road blocks (yeah)  
Even through the rough spots  
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got  
I'm with you in the next step  
Giving you in the next breath  
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"  
When you're out there on your own  
You are never alone_

 _-Good Fight,_ Unspoken

* * *

XXIV

* * *

"I think I'm going to jail."

Sanji stares at Zoro. He's just a bit blurry, hard to see. He's still getting over the whole passing-out-in-court thing, but if Zoro needs to talk, Sanji will try his hardest to listen. There's something about the tone of his voice that's different though. Before, he seemed to have accepted it but now he sounds a bit alarmed, like he doesn't want it.

"F-fine," Sanji forces out but it sounds weird to his own ears and he can't quite formulate proper words, he knows he can't.

Zoro looks at him strangely. "Are you okay? I don't think you should be sitting up even," says Zoro, ignoring Sanji's word.

"F-fine," Sanji repeats. "You … it'll be fine."

"You don't know that." It's almost like Zoro knows Sanji doesn't want to talk about the way he's feeling. Everything's been about him, even though it's Zoro's trial, Zoro's sentence on the line, everyone's attention has been on him and he feels bad about it.

"S-sure I do."

"But—"

"W-where … that night … where were you?" Sanji forces out.

Zoro blushes. He fiddles with his fingers for a moment before he says, "in an alley. Fighting some weirdoes."

Sanji nods. "Okay."

"That's it?"

Sanji nods again.

"You … believe me? Just like that?"

Sanji nods. He's starting to feel like a bobble head.

Zoro pulls his knees to himself on his chair, which is something you're not supposed to do, so his body takes up more space than usual and it sends him off-balance. Sanji almost chuckles at it. He looks a bit like a child, rocking himself to sleep in the corner of shame after stealing a cookie from the jar. "How can you just believe me like that?"

"Do … do you not w-want me…" Sanji blushes and forces himself to continue, his sentence cannot end on that note. That sounds wrong, but at the same time a part of him wonders … "to? N-not want me to?"

"I'm not used to it," says Zoro. "Being believed, I mean."

"I believe you." It's the first thing he says with so much certainty not only today, but in three years.

"Thanks."

Zoro sends him a small smile and Sanji realizes this might be the first time he's ever seen Zoro smile. He wants him to do that more often. He looks great when he smiles like that.

"Um …" Think of something funny, make him smile again, Sanji thinks to himself. He's just about to say something, really witty too, about the chicken and the road and the— he can't remember the punchline but either way that doesn't mean he likes it when the judge interrupts.

"Hey!"

Sanji looks up at him, his mouth half-open about to say something. It's rude of him to interrupt. For a judge, he needs better manners.

"You!" The judge points an accusing finger at Sanji and he wonders why he has to call him "Your Honour". "You're talking."

Sanji bites the inside of his cheek and it hurts but it stops him from talking. He never thought he'd have to stop himself from talking before, especially since he thought he would never speak again but there's something about Zoro that makes him want to speak. But the judge … he scares him.

"Yeah, so?" says Zoro and Sanji looks at him, wondering why he's suddenly interfering. Clearly the judge has a bone to pick with Sanji, not Zoro. Why should he interfere? Plus, doesn't that just mean the judge might become biased towards Zoro's trial? More biased?

"He said he couldn't speak in court!"

"You forced him to speak," Zoro snaps.

"Yes but now he's talking all care-free and such with you! I could have him arrested for withholding information!"

"Well maybe he didn't want to talk to you and your fucking bald head! You're freaky as shit, he has all the right to remain silent around you, you old geezer!"

The judge looks offended and promptly turns up his nose and turns away.

Zoro and Sanji fall into silence.

The air is tense and yet—

Zoro laughs. And suddenly, Sanji is laughing too and he's not used to it but the sound bubbles up in his throat and escapes his lips. He covers his mouth to keep it in but Zoro pulls his hand away.

"Don't do that," he says softly. "I like your laugh."

Sanji's probably turning red right now but he doesn't care. He doesn't really care about anything because right now everything is alright. He can ignore the fact that he fainted not half an hour ago, he can ignore that Smoker and Ace are arguing, that the judge is an asshole, that Zoro is still on trial because right now it's just him and Zoro and Sanji wonders how he's lived without him.

And then it hits him.

This is what love is, isn't it?

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2:** The thank-yous!_

 _Miss Meep- A: Yeah. I love big stories._

 _Raigon : So hey ... Yeah. The stress really is getting to him, but this chapter was just ... fluff._

 _Megenhason ZOSAN-LAWLU LOVER (x2 ): Yup. I was bored. And I think I had been reading that story about a ZoSan version of **The Little Mermaid,** which brought forth the idea of Sanji not speaking. If you want long chapters, **Beautiful Disaster** is for sure something to check out. Anyway you'll have to wait and see what happens next._

 _lilcutieprincess : Yeah, I did take a direct quote (or at least paraphrased) a moment in Loguetown where Zoro meets Tashigi while running from Smoker and he tells her to get rid of her face, or something like that. I really do like Tashigi so I want to include her in all my stories and not as an obstacle, or something to ignore because she is a reminder of Zoro's past and I feel most people antagonize her or try to make Zoro forget her so he can move on, but I don't think that's the case. He has to come to terms with it, he has to know it's part of his past and never forget. As you know in **Beautiful Disaster, h** e questions whether or not he should forget her (Kuina, since he hasn't met Tashigi in **Beautiful Disaste** r), wonders if he's still in love with her. I don't like people pretending she was nothing, like if it's a ZoSan story, I hate when people are like, "he loved Sanji more than he had ever loved her" (whether that's Kuina, or Tashigi, or both) because I think he loves them all, really, as equally as he ever had. I don't like when people undermine Zoro's past, see it as something for him to just forget about to be happy. Because Zoro carries Kuina with him wherever he goes and during Alabasta it was clear that Tashigi made him uncomfortable and I want to write stories where he can learn that he shouldn't feel guilty, or regret anything because he's had her/loved her and now he's ready to move on, but never to forget. Does that make sense? Since she shaped so much of his life, I feel like it would destroy him to forget her, or to put her on a higher or lower pedestal than Sanji. Like Sanji and Tashigi/Kuina should both have really high positions in Zoro's mind/life, but in different ways?_

 _Okay question of the chapter: so ... Sanji's figured it out. What do you think he'll do about it?_


	25. Chapter 25

_**Author's Note #1:** So I don't own **One Piece**. I might be changing my schedule a bit again. I may just finish Speechless and take a break from **One Piece** (again. I know, so soon after returning) and then come back sometime in like ... March? It's that I can't do too much and I'm getting overwhelmed by plot-bunnies for non- **One Piec** e stories that just need to be done or else I can't move on. I'm really sorry about this._

* * *

 _ **Speechless  
**_ _By: Setkia_

* * *

 **Full Summary**

 **Sanji is a cook at the Baratie who, for a reason not fully understood by all the other cooks, has not spoken a word in three years. He goes through his life normally, communicating through paper and pen. He hasn't felt the urge to speak since he's decided he would never speak again. Things change though when one day, while taking out the trash, he accidentally runs into the "Demon the Streets".**

 **Roronoa Zoro, the "Demon of the Streets" is a mystery but he's feared by everyone who hears his name. He's on the run from the police with a wanted poster and a big prize if he's found and captured. With an accidental wrong turn, he encounters a strange man with long legs and blond hair. Zoro learnt pretty early on that in his line of work, you don't get attached to people and yet somehow this cook is working his way through his barriers.**

* * *

PART TWO: GOOD FIGHT

 _Even in the road blocks (yeah)  
Even through the rough spots  
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got  
I'm with you in the next step  
Giving you in the next breath  
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"  
When you're out there on your own  
You are never alone_

 _-Good Fight,_ Unspoken

* * *

XXV

* * *

Zoro's worried. It's quite clear that he's worried and he's sure he's biting his nails (which he should really stop doing, he knows it) but suddenly after hearing Sanji tell him he believes him, Zoro can't seem to stop shaking.

Suddenly the desire to make it out, it's overwhelming. He just wants to be able to be with Sanji, he wants to be able to be free.

And he supposes as a past convict his words mean nothing, but of course he knows the way court works. The only thing that count for anything is evidence. Evidence and swearing under the name of God that everything that shall be said in the courtroom shall be true.

So the next day Zoro goes to Robin and tells her he wants to testify.

"I don't think it's a good idea," says his lawyer with a frown on her face. "With a past criminal record, even before your jailing, you were kind of … rebellious, weren't you?"

"You're saying they won't believe me."

He knows that. But he has to try.

"I'm not saying that, it's just that a jury, which is highly judgemental, may not be swayed by the words of a convicted felon."

What's he supposed to do? Even if the whole trial is being done for his sake, is being had so that his sentence may be determined, he has no word in anything. He doesn't decide who testifies, doesn't decide anything. It's almost like a child who is taken on vacation by his parents; it has everything to do with him, and yet he has no say in the matter.

"I want to testify," he tells Sanji when he comes to visit him in his cell before the trial.

Sanji shakes his head.

Is every one against him?

"Why not?"

Sanji takes Zoro's hand and he tries to ignore the feeling that sparks up his spine. "U … un … unray— unreas— It's not unreasonable," he says, stopping Sanji before he can finish his word. "You know I'm innocent, you've said it before, to me and to the judge. So what's the problem?"

"B-bad," says Sanji in a shaky voice. "Bad idea."

Zoro shakes his head. "But—"

"Bad idea," Sanji repeats, a little louder.

"Did you change your mind? Do you think I'm guilty?"

Sanji shakes his head.

"Say it."

Zoro just wants to hear it, know that someone still believes in him but Sanji is silent.

"Sanji—"

"Please leaver the defendant alone."

They both turn to see Smoker watching them with a glaring eye.

"Just a few more—"

"No, do you think you have any rights at this point?" demands Smoker. "Get Vinsmoke out of there and go to bed. The judgment comes tomorrow."

Zoro can't stand it.

"Pu—punishment?" says Sanji in a shaky voice.

He's asking what Zoro might have to face. He wants to know.

Smoker takes a deep breath, his eyes turning a sad shade and he glances away from them before spiting out the word.

"Capital."

And with that, Sanji is forced to leave and Zoro is staring at the ceiling again

* * *

 _ **Author's Note #2** : The thank-yous!_

 _Miss Meep-A: I try._

 _Guest : So I'll tell you this: yes, I know a lot of this story is just responses. It's not that well constructed, I'm well aware. It's not everyone's cup of tea. I get it. If you don't like it, don't read it, alright? You have that much control at least. Anyway I've written better things, I know I have. But I started this so I'm gonna finish it._

 _Megenehason ZOSAN-LAWLU LOVER: Yeah. I know the chapters are short. Really quite frankly, it's not my best work I know that. But I'm glad you like it anyway._

 _Raigon : Yeah. Fluff. Gotta love fluff._

 _EmperialGem21 : But I like impolite characters who should keep their mouths shut in social situations but don't._

 _Shizuka Taiyou : Yeah I know close to nothing about the law (outside **Ace Attorney** games) so yeah ... Sorry about that._

 _lilcutieprincess : Yeah, working on it. _

_Um ... question for this chapter ... Why do you think Sanji can't answer Zoro?_


End file.
